All Tied Up
by Bellabeautyvamp
Summary: Edward Elric is a girl in disguise. Of course, the Colonel Bastard had to find out, but after a very vague phone call early one morning Ed may just have the counter blackmail to keep the bastard from squealing...
1. Chapter 1

Hi! This is my first fan fic ever so I'd appreciate some feedback. Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I do not own any of these wonderful characters or the story Fullmetal Alchemist

"Just get me the hell out of here, Fullmetal!"

But it was all I could do not to laugh...

My day hadn't even started yet and a five a.m. phone call from the colonel was never a welcome way to start my day.

"I need you at 777 Hellburnt Road right now, Fullmetal. Come alone-this is strictly confidential."

I told the colonel to go fuck himself because I was going back to sleep-though not in as many words-but he threatened, yet AGAIN, to tell everyone my secret.

My secret.

The bastard knew I'd do anything to keep my secret safe. For years I'd been hiding that I was really a girl. I had always been a tomboy when I was young and I knew that when I joined the military my youth would work against me. Being a girl would just make my life even more difficult.

And so I became Edward and left Edaline far far behind. No one had suspected anything until that colonel bastard had shoved me out of the way when we were fighting a blood thirsty murder a month ago who used alchemy to r-

But that's a story for a different time. Anyway, the bindings in my breasts had loosened during the fight and when the colonel bastard shoved me out of the way...let's just say he touched a sensitive area on my chest...

Not surprisingly, he has been using it to blackmail me ever since.

And that's how I found myself at 777 Hellburnt Road at 5:30 in the morning. It was an old abandoned motel that had fallen into disrepair. It'd been like that for as long as I could remember, and I couldn't for the life of me figure out why the colonel would want me here.

I sighed and shoved open the heavy, creaky door.

"Colonel this better be good!" I called out half heartedly. "Or I'm going to tell Lieutenant Hawkeye about the paperwork you left undone and hidden in your desk drawer."

There was no answer.

"Colonel? Where are you?"

The bastard probably wasn't even here yet, I thought grumpily. I was tired and I wanted my bed. Who did that bastard think he was?

I headed for the steps. Might as well have a look around the place. This motel only had two floors so it wouldn't take too long to go through.

I started with the first room upstairs. I peered into the dust covered wreck that was once a four star motel room. Why would the colonel want me here?

Suddenly, there was a muffled thump from the next room. Clapping my hands together, I transmuted my automail arm into a sharp point and carefully edged to the next room. Slowly I turned the handle of the door and pushed.

It wouldn't open.

I shoved harder, but then I saw signs of hasty transmutation around the wood. Someone had sealed it shut with alchemy. Clapping my hands together once again, I unsealed the door.

What could be awaiting me on the other side?

Without any hesitation I shoved the door open.


	2. Chapter 2

Well here's chapter two! I would really love comments and suggestions! Thanx for reading.

Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or any of its characters

My jaw dropped open and my eyes widened.

The colonel was there alright and I stared at him unable to move. But it wasn't the bloody cut on his lip that caught my eye or even the swollen black and blue eye he sported. I didn't even notice the long blood-crusted slices down the colonel's arms right away.

And that was because the colonel was naked.

Naked and handcuffed to a large bed.

"Stop staring and get me out of here Fullmetal!" The colonel growled, flushed a bright shade of red.

"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" I couldn't help myself. "Date gone wrong, Colonel?"

"Just get me the hell out of here, Fullmetal!"

But it was all I could do not to laugh again.

I walked over to the bed, smiling brightly. The colonel was handcuffed to a four-poster bed with four different pairs of cuffs-one for each hand and one for each foot giving me quite a view...

"See something you like...?" The colonel glared.

I snickered. "Definitely worth getting up at 5 for this. How did you even call me anyway? And why me? I'm sure the lieutenant would have come."

"You don't want to know how I called and as for why you...That was the only speed dial I was able to press on my phone."

"Can I ask what happened...?" I sniggered, but it was then that I realized the state Mustang was in. "And what the hell happened to you? You need medical attention."

"I'm fine just unlock the cuffs!"

"Do you have the key?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Just transmute them open!"

I peered at the cuffs on the colonel's left hand. "These don't seem to be made out of any metal I know. I can't transmute unknown elements."

I examined the bed next, noticing that it was different from the bed in the other room. For one, as I noted before, it was a kind of four-poster bed, much more elegant than a motel like this should have. Also, it seemed to be made out of the same unknown metal as the cuffs.

For the first time a feeling of uneasiness swept over me.

"How exactly did you end up here, Colonel?"

Mustang squeezed his eyes closed and grunted. "I don't know. I can't remember much from last night. I must have had a few too many drinks. Does it matter? Just get me out of here! I have a pounding headache and I'd just like to put this ordeal behind me."

"Well it's going to be a bit difficult to get you out if you don't have a key."

The colonel bastard turned a darker shade of red. "I think I can feel something that feels like a key under...me," he muttered.

I raised an eyebrow. "You don't mean...?"

His lips pressed together in a thin line.

"You cannot be serious, bastard! I am not sticking my hand under your-"

"Do I look like I want you to?" The bastard clenched his teeth.

"Fine!" I threw my hands up. "But if I do this I never want to hear another word about me being a...girl... Got it?"

"Okay! Deal. Just unlock these cuffs!"

"First..." I grinned wickedly and pulled out my phone. "Just a little assurance to make sure you keep to your word..."

Mustang's eyes widened in horror as he realized what I was about to do. "Stop! Fullmetal don't!"

"Too late," I said snapping a picture of Colonel Roy Mustang in all his naked glory.

And even though I tried hard not to, I couldn't help but appreciate the size of the colonel's...glory...

I busied myself with saving the picture to hide the blush creeping up my face. I WAS a girl after all, even though I tried to deny it.

"If you show that to anyone I'll kill you," the colonel threatened.

"You're not in any...position...to be making threats, Colonel."

He shot me a dirty look and I smiled in triumph. But now I actually had to release him. Steeling myself for what I had to do, I climbed onto the edge of the bed to get closer. Reaching out with my real hand, I quickly slipped it under the colonel's large member and groped around for the key.

The colonel inhaled sharply.

"You better not be enjoying this, bastard!" I yelled.

"Why? Are you?" The colonel replied smirking.

But I could tell he was as tense as I was. My finger touched a thin metal piece and I flinched causing the bastard to gasp again.

I quickly yanked my hand out from under the colonel, pulling the metal piece with me. Sure enough it was a key.

"My arms are numb from being like this for so long. You'll have to unlock all of them."

I unlocked his feet first so I didn't have to climb over him to get to his far hand. Things were awkward enough without me climbing over his bare chest.

Mustang pulled his legs up and I crawled past them to get to his last cuff. I unlocked it and the colonel flexed his arms to get feeling back.

"You have to get yourself bandaged up," I told him, still kneeling on the bed.

The colonel sat up groaning. "Thank you, Fullmetal," he said. "Do me a favor and don't mention this to anyone. Not even Alphonse."

"Colonel, you woke up with no memory of how this happened, beaten and bruised. There has to be some sort of investigation. It may have been an isolated incident, but somehow I doubt that. The bed, the unknown metal, your injuries-this was planned. What if whoever did this needed information and beat you for it? You said you can't remember anything. What if you said something you shouldn't have? What if-"

"Ed!"

I stopped mid sentence. "What?"

"Trust me, please. Don't tell anyone."

I opened my mouth to argue but before I realized what he was doing, the colonel grabbed my wrists and flipped me onto my back so that he was pressing over me, holding me down.

"Get off me, bastard!" I struggled.

"Not until you promise to keep this between the two of us or so help me I'll handcuff you to the bed and leave you here!"

"You damned bastard! After I came here and helped you out now you're THREATENING me?"

"_Please, _Ed_."_

It was Mustang calling me Ed and not Fullmetal that made me think he knew more than he was telling me. Why else would he be so insistent on keeping this a secret? We could have easily repeated what happened without mentioning his naked state, but no. Mustang was begging me to keep it quiet. It was that (and his freakishly large member rubbing onto my lower stomach) that made me say, "Alright. I won't say anything."

The colonel exhaled, the tension in his body relaxing.

Making him press on me harder.

"NOW GET OFF OF ME, BASTARD!"


	3. Chapter 3

After the colonel had let me go I left.

"Wait!" The bastard yelled after me. "I don't have any clothes!"

"That's your problem, bastard."

I went back home to the room Al and I'd been assigned at the military dorms to find Al still asleep in his bed. Good. No need for unnecessary questions. I tried not to keep anything from Al, but honestly I didn't know much now and I was NOT going to tell him about Mustang's morning adventure.

I stripped off my tight leather pants and red coat, leaving on my black tank top and shorts. I lifted my shirt and unbound my breasts, letting out a sigh of relief as they sprung free. At home with Al was the only place I could be comfortable. Be myself.

I crawled back into bed and closed my eyes.

_I was lying on a soft bed, my arms tied to the frame above my head. I was wearing only a bra-which was strange because I'd never worn one before-and a pair of small black panties. My hair, normally pulled back in a braid, was spread loose on the pillow. __I pulled at the binding on my wrists, to no avail._

_Suddenly a door in the room opened and Mustang walked in. He was wearing his uniform, but his shirt was open, relieving his muscular chest. My breath caught in my throat as he walked over to the bed._

_"Hello, Edaline." He smiled sexily._

_It didn't even register that I had never told him my real name._

_"Why am I here, Colonel?" I asked not even slightly fazed that I was hardly dressed._

_"You want to be here, don't you, Ed?" The colonel whispered as he climbed onto the bed and pressed down on me looking down into my eyes._

_And I found myself wanting this. Wanting him. A rush of desire burned through my core, as the fabric of his pants slid against my bare skin._

_"Yes," I whispered back._

_"Yes, what?" the colonel pried._

_"Yes, I want to be here," I moaned._

_The colonel smiled down at me through his long lashes. "Tell me what you want me to do, Edaline."_

_"Kiss me. Kiss me everywhere."_

_"As you wish."_

_I moaned as the colonel's lips touched my neck. His hands roamed over my skin, making me gasp. Slowly his feather-light kisses drew a trail down my stomach, but still the colonel went lower. I wanted to bury my hands in his hair, claw at his back, but the restraints prevented me from touching this beautiful man. I settled for wrapping my legs around his firm body, but he lifted one leg and sucked on my inner thigh gently. His other hand slipped just under the edge of my panties._

_"Roy..." I murmured his name._

_"Tell me what more you want, Edaline. I am yours to command."_

_My heart raced and I moaned so quietly I could hardly hear it myself. "Love me..."_

I gasped awake, my entire body trembling and pulsing, covered in a layer of sweat.

What. The. Bloody. Hell.

My heart raced as I tried to delete the images from my mind. The feel of the colonel's soft lips on my-

Oh my hell.

Never ONCE since I have met the colonel has ANY sort of...desire...crossed my mind.

"Brother? Are you okay?"

I glanced over at Al, who was running his eyes sleepily. Ever since he had gotten his body back he'd been catching up on all his lost sleep.

"I'm fine, Al." I tried to calm my heart. "Just a bad dream. You can go back to sleep."

I glanced at the clock on the wall. It was 10:30.

"Oh, DAMN IT!" I yelped, my dream going to the back of my mind. "I have a meeting with Major Tripson in ten minutes about an assignment they want me on! I am soooo late."

I tossed the covers off, grabbed some clothes and ran into the bathroom. I bound my chest tightly and yanked on the rest of my clothing in record time.

"I'll be back soon, Al," I called as I ran out. "Then we can go grab something to eat!"

"Sure, sure," Al mumbled, already falling back asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Hi guys! Thanks for reading. First of all-I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist or any of its characters. Second of all I just wanted to say that this story is getting good! ;) lol of course I'd say that...I'm the author...but seriously I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Also, your feedback would be very much appreciated. Another thing...you may have noticed that I'm not exactly following any particular timeline or world. Al has his body back, but Ed has his alchemy and a cellphone so...I may even have Envy visit...Lastly, I'm thinking of adding in some clichéd storylines. I hope you're all okay with that, but if not too bad! :}

I knocked on the door to the major's office and opened it without waiting for a reply. "Sorry I'm late, major."

Tripson glanced up from his paperwork. "Fine, fine," he said distractedly. "Don't let it happen again."

I nodded.

"Close the door and take a seat, Fullmetal.

I sat in the uncomfortable chair across from his desk. "You asked me to see you about an assignment, major?"

"Yes, yes." He rummaged around the messy papers on his desk searching for something. "Ah. Here it is," he said pulling out a folder and passing it to me. "Your next assignment."

I opened the folder. "My next assignment is to go clubbing?" I snorted.

The top page advertised a new teens and twenties nightclub called Supernova. Tripson didn't say anything so I flipped to the next page and recoiled when I saw the image it held. A picture of what was once a pretty girl dressed for a night out, now a mangled bloody corpse.

I flipped through the next few pages, each one holding an image of a different victim. Male, female, as young as 16 and as old as 29. It didn't matter. They were all torn and shredded.

"We believe these victims were drugged and taken from Supernova by the serial killer known as The Scientist."

"The Scientist?"

"A highly skilled alchemist who uses his alchemy to test the limits of human pain."

I looked at the photos more carefully. There was something not quite right about the victims. It was as if their features had been shifted and their arms and legs didn't seem to match up to their bodies.

"We also believe he used alchemy to test the limits of the human body by taking limbs from one victim and attaching it to another."

I curled my lip in disgust. "I'm going to get this son of s bitch. What do you need me to do?"

"I had feeling you'd say that. We are sending you into Supernova under cover. There aren't many members of the military who fit the age requirement. Colonel Mustang can probably get in if you need backup-"

"NO! I'll be fine on my own! I don't need that Ba- I don't need him there."

Tripson looked amused. "Alright then. The Scientist is certainly not working alone. He'd be too old. He'd need someone able to get into the club and drug the victims. See if you can find the bastard."

I give a firm nod and stand up. "Is there anything else, major?"

"No, that's all. You can go now, Fullmetal. I know this assignment may take a while so we'd like you to start as soon as you can."

"Don't worry about that, major-in going clubbing tonight!"

I left Tripson's office with a burning desire to get started and do everything I can to catch this monster. I was so focused on thinking about my assignment, I wasn't watching where I was going until I crashed right into someone.

I took a step back and looked up into Mustang's smug face.

_The colonel smiled down at me through his long lashes. "Tell me what you want me to do, Edaline."_

_"Kiss me. Kiss me everywhere."_

I flushed from the roots of my blond hair to the tips of my toes as a flash of my dream past through my mind. I didn't even _like _the colonel bastard. Why was I having such erotic dreams about him?

The colonel, oblivious to my discomfort, grinned. "Didn't see you there, Fullmetal. Must be because you're so sh-"

"DON'T SAY IT, COLONEL BASTARD! I AM NOT SHORT!" I snarled.

Because I was trying to hide that I was really a girl, things like my height pissed me off. Especially when I was constantly being teased by the colonel bastard about it.

The colonel snickered. "Whatever you say, pipsqueak."

A nerve ticked in my forehead. "My height didn't seem to matter when you were lying tied up and naked a few hours ago and needed my help!"

Mustang's eyes narrowed. "Keep your voice down, Fullmetal."

I grinned evilly. "Whatever, bastard. I have to go. Al's waiting for me."

That wasn't completely true, but he didn't have to know that.

I pushed my way past him, but as I passed he reached out and grabbed my arm. My skin tingled where he touched me. What was WRONG with me today?

I glared up at him. "_What_?"

"I'm serious, Elric. You can't tell anyone."

"I already said I wouldn't, okay?"

I yanked my arm free and hurried back to my room.


	5. Chapter 5

Hi again! Sorry some of my chapters aren't longer ;( by I try to make up for it by posting new ones quickly! Reviews are always welcome. But only the good ones :P

I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or any of its characters.

The next few hours past rather quickly. I got back to the room to find Al still fast asleep on his bed. After about twenty minutes and a bit of bribery and several threats, I managed to get him up. I swear, these days Al was acting more like I had when we were searching for the stone.

We went out for brunch at a small café a few blocks away. After we'd ordered I told Al, in hushed tones, about my assignment.

"Do you want me to come with you, brother? This scientist guy sounds really dangerous."

For once, I was dead serious. "I know Al. That's why I don't want you anywhere near this. Besides, I'm just going on recon. If I need backup they'll send in some help."

The waitress brought our food and we started to eat.

Al looked thoughtful. "Brother..." he began hesitantly.

I raised an eyebrow.

"How do you plan on going out tonight?"

I furrowed my brow, not understanding. "What do you mean?"

"Well don't kill me, brother, but maybe you should..." His voice trailed off.

"Just spit it out, Al!"

"I think you should go as yourself!" Al said quickly.

My eyes narrowed. "You don't mean what I think you mean, Al?"

Al took a breath. "This is the perfect opportunity for you to go as a girl! No one you know will be there and it'll be safer if there's no chance of you being recognized as the Fullmetal Alchemist."

"No," I said, flat out refusing. "I haven't worn a dress since before..."

"Since before Mom died," Al finished. "And Mom loved you in those little flowery sundresses. Your hair was longer than too..."

Al smiled, lost in a memory and my heart gave a pang of longing for the girl I used to be.

"I wouldn't even know what to wear..." I whispered, suddenly filled with the longing to be _me_.

"We could go shopping," Al replied uncertainly.

"_YOU'RE_ going to come bra-" I winced at the word-"shopping with me?"

"On second thought..." Al's eyes were wide in fear.

But now a hot desire burned through my blood. "I suppose I could go on my own... They have people in stores to help with that kind of crap, right?"

Al looked relieved. "Yeah!" he said enthusiastically. "I'll come along to help you choose a dress!"

I chewed on my lower lip. "We'll have to go a bit out of town where no one will recognize me."

"So let's go now!" Al grinned, leaping to his feet.

I couldn't help but smiling back. I tossed some cash on the table and we left. The shopping district in Fridville, the town near Central, was pretty crowded. I kept looking over my shoulder, expecting to see someone we knew.

"Relax, brother. We're going shopping!"

I snorted. "I just know we're going to meet one of Mustang's crew just as we come out of Victoria's Secret. I'll NEVER live it down. This is a bad idea. Let's go home."

"NO! You are getting your first...bra... Think about how happy Mom would be if she could see you now."

I sighed, knowing Al had won this one. "Come on then," I grumbled.

When we got to VS, Al waited outside, but not before shoving me through the doors with an encouraging nod.

"Hi my name is Yasmine. Can I help you?"

I turned to face a petite salesgirl with a too large smile. "I'm here...to buy a...bra." I whispered the last word, flushing scarlet. What must she think?

Yasmine's smile never faltered. "Of course. Do you know what size you're looking for?"

I shook my head. "I've never worn one before."

Her lips twitches and I had to force myself not to bolt. "Come with me and we'll have you measured."

I swallowed and followed her to the dressing rooms.

"You'll have to remove your...coat and shirt."

I slid off my trademark crimson coat, looking to see if she'd react to my automail. Nothing. Then I pulled my tank top over my head.

Yasmine's jaw dropped open for a second before she regained her composure, and I turned an even darker shade of red. She'd probably thought, like everyone else, that I was really a guy, even though she'd gone along with the whole measuring me bit.

"You'll have to remove the bandages, Miss, so I can get accurate measurements."

Oh, so I was "Miss" now?

I quickly unbound my breasts, very self conscious at being so exposed. The girl was quick and efficient and before I knew it she was finished. I folded my arms across my chest, wincing at the cool touch of automail on my breasts.

"You're a 34B," she informed me. "Not as small as I thought."

I bit my tongue to stop my retort. "Can you help me find a bra now? My brother is waiting for me."

"Of course." She seemed unaware that she'd hit a nerve. "What kind of bra are you looking for?"

"You mean there are different kinds?"

"There are push ups, demis, ones with underwires, ones with out, minimizers-though I doubt you'll want that-sports bras..."

I was completely lost. Yasmine saw the look on my face and laughed.

"What's the occasion that you're buying a bra?"

"I'm going to a club tonight."

She nodded. "I'll bring you a few bras and you'll see which ones you like. How does that sound?"

I nodded dumbly and she disappeared into the store. Give me psychopaths and killers any day. That I could handle. But bra shopping?

Yasmine returned with five different bras for me to try on. She showed me how to close the clasp and then left me alone.

Ten minutes later, I had decided on a simple but pretty black bra with a small push up. It had lace around the edges and a tiny heart charm in the center. It felt weird, but Yasmine assured me that I'd get used to it. I didn't know what made me do it, but I also chose a light blue demi bra. It was like seeing a different person in the mirror. I couldn't remember the last time I'd seen myself looking like a girl, and now I looked...I liked like a woman.

"Would you like to see the matching panties?" Yasmine asked.

I was shocked to find myself nodding.

"You look like a size small."

"I'm not small!" I yelled before I could stop myself.

Yasmin's blinked.

"Sorry," I muttered.

She smiles. "That's alright, Miss. You have a beautiful body, no need to be ashamed or sensitive."

I ended up getting the matching panties to both bras and after rebounding my breasts and getting dressed, I paid and left.

"You were in there for such a long time, brother. Did you buy out the whole store? Got some sexy lingerie?" Al grinned cheekily.

"Shut up, Al! Let's just get the stupid dress and go home."

"Uh uh. You need shoes and a purse too."

"Since when are you an expert?" I retorted.

Al simply shrugged. "Ready?"


	6. Chapter 6

Hi again! Thank you so much for reviewing! I didn't mention this before (mainly because I just thought of it now ;P) but Ed only has an automail arm. Her leg is back to normal because an automail leg wouldn't fit into heels...

Oh, and to all of you who thought things couldn't get more awkward for poor Ed...

Ps: Please bare with me (no don't get undressed! 0.0) but my story has seemed to take on a life of its own. Half these chapters I'm pulling out of...various parts of my body...and not in the least my brain. So when I figure out where the hell I want this to go...hopefully it'll be to a good place!

I don't own FMA or any of its characters.

"I cannot _believe_ I let you talk me into buying that dress."

I walked next to Al numbly thinking about the dress he manipulated me into buying. Technically, I got three dresses, but one of them was...

Al was practically skipping in glee. "It looks great on you! Don't fight who you are, brother-or should I say sister...?"

"Shhhh!" I hissed glancing around. "Keep it down, Al!"

We were almost back at our neighborhood in Central. I had used my coat to cover the gaudy pink bags from Victoria's Secret, DFL Gowns, and some shoe and accessories store Al forced me in to.

"Whatever you say, brother. You know you look very suspicious carrying the bags that way, right?"

"Well I can't very well walk around with them dangling from my arm!"

Al just grinned and ran ahead as the dorm building came into sight. "Hurry up, brother! All that shopping made me hungry again."

"How about I go drop these bags off in our room and I'll meet you at the Cafeteria for an early supper before I head to the club?"

Al yawned as we walked into the tall, grim building. It certainly didn't look homey and welcoming.

"Okay!" Al called as he walked down the hall towards the smell of food. "I'll save you some milk!"

"Al!"

I heard his quiet laughter fade as he turned the corner, and I grinned despite myself.

The grin quickly slid from my face like mud off a window as I turned and almost walked into Mustang for the second time that day.

Mustang raised his brows. "Might want to watch where your going, Fullmetal."

"Yeah? Well maybe you should watch where _you're_ going, bastard!"

Then to my complete mortification and horror, I realized that my coat had slipped slightly off the Victoria's Secret bag. I yanked it back up, but the damage had already been done.

"What have you got there, Fullmetal?" the colonel asked, his lips twitching in amusement.

Of course, the man infamous for being an all around womanizer would recognize a bag from that store.

"Is that..." he began.

"Not a word, bastard!" I snarled, knowing I was probably redder than a tomato.

My heart sank as a wide grin spread across his face, crinkling his eyes.

"It _is_!" he confirmed in disbelief.

"It's for an assignment!" I growled, daring him to say anything more.

The colonel bastard shook from laughter. "Somehow I doubt the higher ups ordered you to go lingerie shopping for an assignment."

I said a very bad word and stormed past the son of a bitch, still hearing his laughter ringing in my ears.

I got to my room and slammed the door behind me, sinking down to the floor. The bags crinkled as my coat slid off of them.

Mustang, the bastard! I'd never live this down. A thought occurred to me then; in a way I was lucky it was only Mustang, who already knew my secret, rather than Brady or Havoc or anyone else here.

I threw my head back, moaning. Lucky, my ass. The colonel bastard was probably already thinking of ways to torment me with this.

The rumbling of my stomach reminded me that I had to hurry up; Al would be waiting. I tossed the things from Victoria's Secret in a drawer and spread the dresses out on my bed for later. My cheeks grew warm as I looked down at _that_ dress. _That_ one was staying in my closet. Forever.

I put my coat back on and hurried downstairs to meet Al. The cafeteria was surprisingly crowded. It was a bit early for supper, but most of the tables were full. I spotted Al sitting at a table in the corner.

He wasn't alone.

The colonel bastard grinned at me brightly. He looked like a shark ready to feed. I almost turned around right there and then, but I couldn't leave Al to deal with Mustang all by himself. I gritted my teeth and stormed up to them.

"What do you want, bastard?" I glared.

Mustang's smile only widened. "Don't get your _panties_ in a twist, Fullmetal. Can't I join you and your brother for dinner?"

"Go to hell!" I snarled.

Al looked back and forth between Mustang and me, confused.

"Now, now, Fullmetal," Mustang scolded teasingly. "Talking to a superior officer like that."

"I'm not hungry anymore, Al," I growled. "Let's go."

"But, brother!" Al protested, looking at his half eaten food sadly.

"No, no, Fullmetal. Don't leave on my account." Mustang smirked. "I suppose I really should get back anyway. I have-" he grimaced-"paperwork to attend to so I'll be on my way."

I looked at him suspiciously as he stood up to go.

As he passed me, he whispered, "Black would be a good color on you, Fullmetal."

I froze, turning multiple shades of red, purple, blue, and possibly green. He couldn't have seen into the bag. There was NO freaking way.

My breath caught in my throat as I met his eyes, crinkled in laughter.

"Just a little advice for next time you shop for...an assignment," he chuckled.

I stomped on his foot. Hard.

"OWWW! What the HELL, Fullmetal?"

The officers around us looked up curiously.

"I'm _soooooo _sorry, colonel," I smiled pleasantly, my eyes burning with fire. "Your foot was just so big; it was in the way."

Everyone resumed eating, seeing that it was just the Flame Alchemist and Fullmetal going at it again.

"As you can attest to, my feet aren't the only big thing I have," the colonel muttered slyly under his breath.

My jaw dropped and I quickly glanced over at Al, who had been pretending not to listen, until now, when he choked on his mouthful of food.

Satisfied that he had gotten the last word, the bastard walked away.

"Brother...?" Al asked after he had caught his breath.

"Don't tell me you and-"

"NO!" I yelled, once again drawing the attention of every ear in listening range.

"Then what did the colonel mean when he said-"

"I don't want to talk about it," I swallowed.

What was the bastard playing at? _He_ was the one who told me to keep quiet about this morning.

Al paused. "You'd tell me if...you were ...you know..._seeing_ anyone, right?"

"Trust me, Al. That's the last thing on my mind. No one here except you and the bastard thinks I'm a girl, and I wouldn't date that arrogant womanizer if he were the last man alive!" I declared.

_I moaned as the colonel's lips touched my neck. His hands roamed over my skin, making me gasp._

I shook my head franticallyto erasethose disturbing images from my dream. Al gave me a funny look.

"I don't think you're getting enough sleep, brother."

Didn't I know it...

"I'm fine, Al. Can we go now?"

"But you haven't eaten anything!"

"I'll grab something to take back to the room," I replied, already striding away. "After all, I've got to get ready for tonight soon."


	7. Chapter 7

Hi again! Just wanted to thank you guys sooooo much for reviewing! Honestly, that's what keeps me updating so quickly! (And up at night squealing in joy :P )

I hope you enjoy reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Ps. I just wanted, once again, to make it clear that this is a slightly different universe than the original FMA. The modern technology being the least of the changes and Ed's gender being the most extreme ;) (not to mention the Victoria's Secret)

I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist or any of its characters.

"No."

"But, broth-"

"_No_."

"Bu-"

"I said no, Al!"

Al sat pouting on his bed.

I sighed. "Al, I haven't looked like a...girl...in years, and I won't start by wearing _that_," I said curling my lip, looking at that _thing_ taunting me from my bed.

"You won't do it? Not even for _me_, brother?" Al looked at me with wide, puppy-dog eyes.

"Aaaaal," I groaned. "Don't try that crap with me."

"But, brother, _please_!"

"No way!"

"Come on, brother! It's red! Your favorite color! Shouldn't that count for something?"

"I won't do it, Al."

"Oh! I get it," Al exclaimed throwing his hands up in exasperation. "The famous Fullmetal Alchemist is a big fat chicken!"

"Don't call me a chicken, Al! I am NOT wearing that dress. I'm going on a mission, and it's not to be a prostitute!"

And yet, half an hour later, I found myself struggling into the skin tight crimson dress. I was wearing my brand new push up bra, which still felt really weird, and the matching panties-only because my shorts would have shown through the dress's thin, silky fabric. I was experiencing a wedgie for the very first time.

When I'd finally managed to shimmy the stupid thing up, I practically tore it to shreds trying to close the zipper in the back. Maybe tearing it wouldn't have been such a bad thing. I looked in the bathroom's full length mirror and felt my stomach clench in a surprise. Was that really me? I shifted uncomfortably.

The dress had a low scoop neck that showed off cleavage I never knew I had, and was cut even lower in the back; open until just past my waist. There were sleeves, of course; all the dresses I bought had. I couldn't exactly go incognito with an automail arm, but though the sleeve covering my automail arm was a solid crimson, the other was a black, see-through lacey material. Just under my breasts, covering-or rather _not_ covering-my ribs was the same sheer black lace, revealing more of my skin than I wanted to. The lace was about six inches down and then it blended back into the silky red material.

I tugged at the bottom of the dress, trying, to no avail, to make the incredibly short dress longer.

"What's taking so long?" Al called pounding on the door. "You better not be stalling! For every minute you're in there I'm adopting another cat!"

I threw the door open. "No cats, Al!"

"Woah."

My face turned the same shade as my dress as Al stood there gaping at me.

"Stop staring, Al. You've already seen the dress at the store!"

"Yeah..." Al blinked, coming back to himself. "But they wouldn't let me in the back so I didn't get to see it on you. Its a LOT different on."

"I look ridiculous, don't I? I can't fight in this! I'd lift a leg to kick someone and flash the whole club! I'm going to change."

"NO!" Al shouted. "You told me you were just going on recon, or should I be coming with you? You are wearing this dress, Edaline."

I flinched. "I told you not to call me that, Al," I said quietly.

"I won't apologize," Al replied fiercely. "I always call you 'brother' so that I won't slip up and call you Edaline by accident, but maybe it's time for Edaline to come back and Edward to disappear."

I closed my eyes and rubbed my temples. "We've already had this conversation a thousand times, Al."

"And we'll have it a thousand more until you see the light."

"I've already seen the Truth," I said wryly. "And it was more than enough."

"All jokes aside, broth-_Edaline_, there's no reason for you to hide who you are anymore."

"Don't call me that, Al! My name is Edward Elric, and I am the Fullmetal Alchemist."

Al rolled his eyes. "Don't think this conversation is over...brother."

But I knew it was-for now at least. I spent the next twenty minutes trying to recall how to put on makeup from years ago when Winry and I used to fool around with my mom's makeup. I had picked up the basics from the shoe and accessories place along with a small roll-on perfume, that I'd only bought at Al's insistence.

After I was satisfied that I didn't look like a clown, I stepped into the pair of high-heeled shoes that matched the evil dress, thanking my lucky stars that I had good balance. I clipped on a pair of dangling earrings the saleswoman practically shoved into my hands along with three gold bangles. I pulled on a pair a black, lace gloves I bought to cover my automail hand. I would have been fine wearing my white ones, but the woman who helped me choose my dresses had such a look of horror on her face when I said that, that she gave me these gloves half price.

I picked up the tiny red handbag that barely fit my cellphone and some cash.

"Well?" I asked Al. "What do you think?"

"Brother!" Al said in a reproachful tone.

"What?" I asked, honestly confused.

With an exasperated look on his face, Al reached over and pulled my hair free from my braid. "You can't go clubbing like that." He ran his fingers through my now wavy hair. "Much better. _Now_ you're ready."

"Thanks, Al," I said, hesitantly smiling as I gave myself one last look in the mirror. There was no way anyone was going to recognize me. _I_ didn't recognize me.

I pulled on a plain red jacket to cover my dress. There was no way I was walking down the street in this dress. Supernova was easily a ten minute walk from here. I couldn't, of course wear my trademark coat so I had to settle for a simpler female version.

"Uh," Al said. "How exactly to you plan on leaving the dorms dressed a woman?"

I flashed Al a wicked grin. "Do you remember how we got out few months ago when the colonel bastard locked us in our room and posted Major Armstrong outside the door?"

"Yeah..." Al replied slowly. "When the colonel found out that we got past the major by transmuting a hole in our floor and slipping down to the next room he made you seal it off and told you that next time you transmuted government property for your own purposes he'd-and I quote-"have you force-fed milk while a crowd of officers called you various terms of short".

"I'm not short!"

Al raised his hands defensively. "Just repeating what he said."

"What the colonel doesn't know won't hurt him."

I clapped my hands together and placed them on the floor. There was a flash of light and part of the floor crumbled into itself. Our room was right above the boiler room; the boiler room that just so happened to have a door leading out to a side alley. Some would call it luck; I called it requesting a room with a view.

I leapt down into the hole-not an easy task while wearing heels-landing in a crouch, clutching the ridiculous purse tightly.

I called up to Al, "I'll seal it off when I get back. I have my phone if you need me. See ya."

"Be careful, brother," Al asked worriedly. "Don't get into any stupid fights."

"I don't get into _stupid_ fights, Al."

I could hear him sigh as I opened the door to the alley. I walked quickly, eager to be as far away from the dorm building as possible. As I passed a low window in the military building next door to the dorms where some offices, such as Tripson's, were located I heard the colonel bastard's voice and slowed, almost subconsciously.

"You put Fullmetal on The Scientist case?" The colonel sounded panicked, which made me angry.

Just because he knew I was a girl didn't mean I needed to be cuddled.

"You didn't even send him in with backup support?" the bastard continued, his voice raising slightly. "What were you thinking, major?!"

The concern in the colonel's voice threw me off guard, but I just shrugged it off and picked up my pace.

I could handle myself.

Thanks for reading, guys! Also, I'll be posting a picture of the dress I based Ed's off of as the cover image for this story when I post the next chapter, and I'll be removing it as soon as the following chapter is out.


	8. Chapter 8

Hi again! I'm back! Just wanted to remind you that I'm posting the chapters as I go so please disregard any typos or mistakes that I notice after it's published and irritate me beyond belief :{ The worst is when I remember something I wanted to add in or change, but it's too late and I am forced to work around it...

I'd also like to mention here that, if it wasn't obvious before, Mustsng has the use of both his eyes and cannot use alchemy without a transmutation circle.

I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist or any of its characters.

I walked briskly, the cool air making me shiver as it hit my exposed skin. It was cloudy out, the full moon completely obscured from sight.

As I neared the club I thought about how frantic the colonel sounded when he heard I was on this assignment. Why was he asking about my missions anyway? I hadn't been under his command since four years ago, just after the old Fuehrer King Bradley had been killed. Nowadays, I worked under Brigadier General Selton, though I got my assignments through Major Tripson's most times. It was just like that bastard to stick his nose where it didn't belong.

I was pulled out of my thoughts by a loud wolf whistle from across the street. Startled, I looked across at a group of three badly dressed gangster type guys trying to look cool.

"Hey beautiful," one of them with a shaved head called out to me in a loud drawl. "Why don't you come over here and we can show you a good time?"

Ugh. I curled my lip in disgust. He sounded high. Or drunk. Possibly both. I flipped them off and tried to walk on, but they were having none of that.

"Why you being like that, pretty lady? We only wants to talk."

The other two unintelligent assholes snickered stupidly, and the baldy, clearly the ringleader of this idiotic gang, waved them forward. I walked quicker as they crossed over to my side of the street. I was all for a good fight and these guys definitely deserved to be taught a lesson, but not in what I was wearing. They jogged up to me, spreading out to surround me.

"Where you going, girl? Why don't you hang out with Lil' D and ma boys tonight?"

I stopped.

Turning to face them, I looked right at "Lil' D" and said, "Why would I hang out with a guy called '_Lil_' D'?" I scoffed, having absolutely no control over what was coming out of my mouth. "I like mine big."

The minute I said it I bit my tongue hard. So much for not getting into fights. Sorry, Al.

To my surprise, Lil' D laughed. "Ah assure you, honey, ma name ain't referring to my size."

I recoiled in alarm as the fucking idiot actually started unzipping his fly. "What the _hell_!" I yelled, backing away as he pulled out his dick.

"How you like me now, girl?" Lil' D smirked. "You wanna give it a try?"

"As exciting as that sounds," a familiar, gravelly male voice said from behind me. "I think it would be more fun to arrest you for indecent exposure and sexual harassment. Not to mention public intoxication."

I tensed, and with a sinking heart, I turned to face the voice, and caught a whiff of cigarette smoke in the air, confirming my suspicions.

Captain Jean Havoc.

Promoted two ranks after regaining the use of his legs due to "experimental treatment" aka a philosopher's stone.

I kept my face low and turned away from the captain, cursing under my breath. Of all the luck. I peered at Havoc from the corner of my eye, my hair falling in a veil across my face. He was fully decked out in his military uniform, a lit cigarette hanging carelessly from between his lips. He must have been just leaving the office.

The two lackeys bailed, turning tail and fleeing, when they spotted Havoc's captain insignia. Lil' D panicked, seeing his backup abandon him. He tripped over backwards in his attempt to escape, and scrambled to his feet, running with his junk flopping as he raced to get away.

Havoc chuckled, and turned to me. "Are you alright, Miss? They didn't hurt you, did they?"

"I'm fine," I mumbled, trying to remember how to talk in a higher pitch.

"A beautiful woman like yourself shouldn't be walking alone at night," Havoc persisted. "How about I escort you to where you're going?"

He wasn't...

I glanced at him through my hair.

He was!

Havoc was flirting with me. Damn, that man had bad luck with women. The hell was I supposed to do now?

"I didn't need your help!" I mumbled gruffly, hoping I sounded like a girl.

"Nonsense, Miss. It's my duty, as a member of the military, to protect those in need of assistance."

I could see him beaming at me, and I rolled my eyes inwardly. How do I get rid of this idiot?

But Havoc was still talking. "Just tell me where you need to go and I'll walk you. Someone as delicate and petite as you should have a man to protect her from bad people."

"I'm not short!" I shouted, before quickly clamping my hand over my mouth.

I looked at Havoc fearfully. I was staring at me, a crease in his brow.

"Edward Elric..." he murmured and my heart tried to escape through my throat.

"What was that?" I asked slowly.

Havoc shook his head, with a puzzled smile. "You just reminded me of someone I know."

I gave a girly giggle, hating myself for it, and said, "What I meant was, I already have a man to protect me from bad people. I'm meeting my _boyfriend_ on the next block so it's really not necessary for you to walk with me."

Havoc looked crestfallen. "Oh. Your boyfriend. Okay then, Miss. Be safe."

I took that opening and hurried away, relief making my head spin. I walked even quicker after that and reached the club shortly after. The door was open and there was a long line of people waiting to get in. I could hear the pounding music and laughter, and I groaned, heading for the back of the line. I stood there, looking around, wondering if any of these smiling, laughing people was the psychotic accomplice I was searching for. Was it that girl in the green minidress standing with her friends? Or was she the next victim?

My eyes swept over the crowd again, as the line slowly crept forward. Chances were that my target would be here alone so he or she could lure some innocent victim to their eventual death.

I caught the eye of a tall, good-looking, dark-haired man standing by himself near the front of the line. He gave me a slow smile and nudged his head, motioning me to join him. If I took up his offer, I'd get in much sooner, but I'd probably be stuck with him for a while. I didn't know what to do, but my impatience won in the end. I could always ditch him in the crowd once u was in.

I stepped out of line and walked over to him, ducking under the rope.

"What's your name?" he asked, grinning down at me with his dark, dark eyes. He had a strange accident-from Brittentia, it sounded like.

He reminded me of someone, but I couldn't quite place it.

I tried out a shy smile, hoping I didn't look as stupid as I felt. Science, alchemy, automail, killers, and everything in between I could handle. Flirting, on the other hand, was _not_ my area of expertise.

"Ella," I replied in what I hoped was a sexy low voice.

I had decided in the name when I was getting dressed. I didn't want strangers using my real name. It was too personal; to close to home.

"And you are...?"

"Damian," he replied. "What's a gorgeous woman like yourself doing all alone at a nightclub, Ella?"

I shrugged one shoulder (hopefully) provocatively, and looked up at him through my lashes. "Just letting my hair down tonight, Damian."

What the hell was I saying? I must look like an idiot.

Luckily, before I could make an even bigger fool of myself, we reached the entrance. Damian showed his ID and got a red stamp, showing he was over twenty-one. Even if I could have drank, I needed a clear head for my mission. I got stamped green and suddenly we were in. I was bombarded by the overwhelming noise that pulsed with the whole room and the lights flashing, illuminating the shifting, grinding bodies of hundreds of dancers. It was too much at once. I spotted the bar off to the side of the large room and slipped my way through the crowd towards the it. I gritted my teeth in frustration. How was I supposed to find one killer in this crazy crowd of people?

There were no empty stools by the bar, but a man-probably in his late twenties-stood up when I got there. "You can sit here; I'm done." He smiled at me greasily and it was all I could do not to kick him in the balls as he slid his eyes over my exposed body. I felt like I needed a cold shower after that, but who was I to turn away a seat at the bar? I ignored the perverted creep and slid onto the stool, my dress hiking up a few inches. The creep gave me one more appreciative once over before slinking back into the crowd.

"What can I get you, Miss?" the bartender asked.

"Just a club soda," I said, turning to scan the room.

The bartender poured me my drink and I took a sip.

"There you are, Ella."

I turned around as Damian walked up to me, one hand casually in his pants pocket, an annoyed look on his face. Honestly, I'd been so distracted by the club I had completely forgot about the guy who'd gotten me in.

"Yeah, sorry. I was really thirsty."

Damian's face cleared up. "When your finished your drink, let's get on the dance floor."

I choked on my drink, coughing hard.

"Are you okay?" he asked, concerned.

"I'm fine," I managed to choke out between coughs. "Just went down the wrong way, is all."

I waved my hand to indicate that all was well, but ended up knocking my soda over. It splashed all over Damian's shirt.

"Aw, damn it!" I exclaimed, jumping to my feet. "I'm really sorry. Here-"

I grabbed a fist full of napkins and shoved them into his hands, "these ought to help."

He must have decided I wasn't worth it, because he took the napkins and walked away without another word. I shrugged. Lucky me. I turned back to the bar to order another drink when a low chuckle made me look up.

My heart stopped.

It wasn't-

It couldn't be-

I leapt to my feet and started walking away as fast as I could without running.

What was that bastard doing here?!

I stopped at a dark corner, after I was sure that he hadn't followed me. Maybe I had imagined it was him, but I was sure I had seen that bastard colonel sitting at the bar flirting with one of the female bartenders.

He hadn't seen me. There was no way he had seen me. Uh uh. The bastard had been too involved with his flirting.

I had to get out of here.

"_Ed_?"

Sorry for ending off this way; I was feeling evil. :} Anyway...

Thanks for reading! Oh, and just for the record, I named Lil' D that before I realized what I had done and then I just had to use it! :P Also, I wanted to point out, for those of you who didn't notice, I've finally decided that this it taking place four years after the original story so everyone is (duh) four years older. (Mustang's getting old ;( lol) but I'm going with the idea that Mustang is i mortal and hasn't aged a day...lol just kidding, but for romantic purposes he just turned 30 in All Tied Up.


	9. Chapter 9

I'm back again! First off, I want to remind you all that Ed is on a mission so this will certainly not be his last time at Supernova. Anything you guys think I should add in to Ed's experience feel free to share.

Also, I don't think you guys appreciate how quickly I update! ;(

If I were to write longer chapters I would lose patience and update _much_ less often. I was up typing last time until 2am so that I could publish quickly! I have a life people! (I think...) Also, thanks for pointing out my typos when there's nothing I can do about it... :/ Yes, I meant accent, not accident when I referred to Damian, but as long as you know what I mean I think it's a win :)

By the way, you people don't realize I'm typing on an iPod. There's no spell check and it's so easy to type wrong especially with auto correct screwing up words like accent and accident. So please go easy on me and review! Maybe the more you comment the longer I'll try to make the chapters... (:} bribery...) In addition, I'm quite insulted that you haven't realized that my chapters are longer! I'm trying! I'm really trying! The reason I end off in cliffhangers and exciting parts is so that I'll want to continue quickly :) Of course all my ideas come rushing at me when I'm in the shower or trying to fall asleep...

Ps. I'm working on less than 3 hours of sleep so...

Pps. I have recently discovered The Walking Dead so if I don't update as quickly it's probably because of the zombies...

Ppps. I think my introductions are getting longer than the chapters... :/

I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or any of its characters.

"_Ed_?"

The colonel was standing right behind me.

I flinched, slinking further into the corner. This was not happening. How the hell did he recognized me anyway? Havoc hadn't know who I was, but then again, I realized, Havoc didn't know I was a girl so it wouldn't have even cross his mind.

Mustang took a step closer, reaching out with one hand. "Is that you?"

His voice was unsure.

I didn't trust him not to recognize my voice so I shook my head, still turned away. The colonel stepped back, to my immense relief.

"Hmm," he mused. "You're taller than her anyway..."

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SHORT, YOU ASSHOLE!"

The second the words were out of my mouth, I realized I'd been tricked. That manipulating son of a bitch!

"It _is_ you, Fullmetal!" the bastard said in disbelief, the delight evident in his voice.

I whirled around to face him, my jacket flying open in the process. "Shut up!" I hissed. "I'm on an undercover assignment and I don't need an idiot like you giving me away!"

The colonel, his mouth wide open, just stood there gaping, looking incredibly strange out of uniform. His eyes roamed over my body, taking it all in.

I turned the same shade as my dress, yanking my jacket closed around me. "Say one word and I'll black out your other eye."

The colonel's mouth snapped shut with an audible click. Then it opened again. And closed.

"You look like a fish," I said. "What the hell are you doing here? You'll compromise my mission. Aren't you a little_old_for this club, anyway?"

"..."

I waved my hand in front of the colonel's face. "Hello? Anybody home?"

The colonel blinked. "You look..."

He shook his head, his expression returning to normal and grinned cockily. "You look taller. You should wear heels more often."

My eyes narrowed into deadly slits, but I knew I couldn't start anything that would draw attention to myself so I swallowed hard and shoved past the asshole.

Disappointment.

The feeling shocked me to the core as I wiggled through the crowd. Why the hell would I be disappointed? It was almost as if I was expecting the colonel to-

To what?

Tell me I looked good? Tell me I was pretty? That bastard's been with so many beautiful women I probably looked like a joke in comparison. Why would I want that bastard's approval anyway?

I growled loudly, getting strange looks from the people around me.

Who cared if Mustang was here; I was here looking for a killer, not worry about a lady-killer. I shouldn't have let myself get distracted. I had work to do.

I walked off to the side, shrugging my jacket off. If there was one thing I knew how to do it was taking down the bad guys. If I couldn't spot them in the crowd, I'd make them come to me.

I tossed my jacket on the floor, not really caring where it landed, and moved onto the dance floor. I watched the crowd; the way they swayed their bodies and moved in time to the music. I'd always been a quick learner and fighting made me light on my feet; I figured dancing couldn't be too difficult.

I swayed my hips, letting my body follow the beat. This wasn't too bad. I kept dancing, trying to loosen the tension in my body, but never relaxing. I tossed my hair as I danced, looking as if I was having the time of my life, while using the opportunity to scan the dancers.

Who was that, over there on the side? Her eyes were jumping from person to person as if she was searching for someone. I started swaying in her direction.

Click!

I stiffened, hearing the telltale snap of a picture being taken. The colonel bastard strutted up to me, and the crowd seemed to part for him.

He slipped his phone into his back pocket and grinned slyly. "Now I have a souvenir too."

I didn't even have time to worry about that. I looked back to where the woman had been standing, but she was gone. I turned back to Mustang furiously and punched him in the arm.

"Ow!" The bastard rubbed his arm.

I hoped it was painful.

"What? Only you're allowed to take pictures like that?" The bastard actually had the nerve to chuckle.

"It's not that, you idiot! There was a woman in the side. She looked suspicious, but now she's gone. What if that was her?" I gave the bastard a look of disgust. "Now I'll have to come back again tomorrow."

The colonel's face grew serious. "You shouldn't be here on your own. I don't care how tough you think you are-everyone needs backup in the field."

"Whatever, bastard. I'm leaving. The report said that all victims went missing from the clubbetween 10:30 and 12:00. It's already past1:00. If they were going to make their movetonight, chances are they would have already done so."

I walked off the dance floor to retrieve my coat.

It wasn't there anymore.

"Damn it!" I looked around, frantically. "Where is it?"

"What's wrong?" the colonel asked coming up behind me.

"Nothing, bastard! My coat's just missing, is all."

"Why would you leave your coat lying around at a nightclub?" Mustang asked in disbelief. "Of course it's missing."

"Shut up, bastard! If you want to help, then help by look for it, if not get the hell out of my way."

"It's _gone. _You're not going to find it."

I realized the bastard was probably right, but I kept looking just to irritate him. After a few more seconds, I gave up and headed for the door. The bastard followed close behind me. I shoved my way through the writhing, sweaty bodies, finally reached the club's entrance.

And of course it was raining.

I'm not talking about a little sprinkle of droplets; it was coming down _hard_.

I stood just inside the entrance looking out in dismay. There was no long line of people waiting to get in anymore and the bouncer was standing just inside the entrance, a bored expression on his face.

"A jacket would have come in handy," Mustang said stepping up beside me, a hint of amusement unmistakably clear in his voice.

I glared at him. Given the choice of walking home in this downpour without a coat or dealing with the colonel bastard for another second, I'd take the first option.

With my mind made up, I stalked out into the rain. The cold drops shocked me as they hit my skin, but I could hear Mustang calling after me so I walked quicker. By the time I was down the block, my teeth were chattering and I was clutching myself to try and lesson the shivers. Damn, it was cold! My tight dress was drenched through and through, and my hair was clinging to my face and the back of my neck. Sometimes I was just too stubborn to see what an idiot I was being, but there was no way I was going back now.

Suddenly, I felt a hand on my shoulder pulling me back. I whirled around in a defensive pose and saw it was the colonel.

Thunder crashed loudly and I spit out between chattering, "W-w-what d-do you w-want, b-b-bastard?"

"Are you crazy, Fullmetal? You can't walk home dressed like that in this weather! You'll die of hypothermia before you reach the next block."

"T-that's n-n-not s-scientifically p-p-possible," I shivered. "Hypotherm-m-mia t-takes l-l-longer than t-that t-to k-k-kill a p-p-p-person."

The colonel made an exasperated sound and shrugged off his jacket. "Here." He held it over my head to keep the rain off. "It's not much, but it'll do until we can get you warmer. Come on, my apartment is around the corner."

My eyes widened. "N-no."

"Don't be so stubborn, Fullmetal. I'm not taking no for an answer," the colonel said, leading me towards his place.

I was so cold, it was all I could do to stay on my feet. "D-don't c-c-call m-m-m-m-me t-that w-when I'm d-d-dressed l-like t-t-this. S-s-someone c-could h-hear y-y-y-you."

"There's no one around, Fullmetal."

I took all my strength to shoot him a dirty look and I heard him sigh.

"What _should_ I call you then?"

I don't know what made me do it, but I told him my real name.

"Edaline. M-my n-name is Edaline."

"Edaline," the colonel repeated, trying it out.

My body tingled with an inner warmth, hearing my real name on his lips.

_"Tell me what more you want, Edaline. I am yours to command."_

_My heart raced and I moaned so quietly I could hardly hear it myself. "Love me..."_

I bit the inside of my cheek. The hell was I thinking!? I didn't even _like_ the colonel, and I would never think of him in that way.

_"Love me..."_

Gah! Stop it already!

My inner conflict was interrupted as we reached Mustang's apartment. He unlocked the door and held it open for me. I hesitated at the door.

"You coming?" the colonel waited expectantly.

And with that, I nodded and walked into the colonel's apartment.

Well that's it for now! Hope you enjoyed. I decided to keep the picture of the dress up. I think it's a fitting cover pic.


	10. Chapter 10

Aw! You guys are so sweet with all your reviews! They are seriously what keep me writing when I lose patience!

By the way, I know I haven't mentioned it, but I kind of screwed around with eveyone's ranks. I kept Mustang a colonel because it sounded better so sorry, Roy! Maybe I'll promote him after this...

I also realize that I should probably be capitalizing major and colonel at times, but I haven't done it until now so why start? :P I did however try to look it over for typos.

Also, if some of what I'm writing isn't accurate or realistic it's because I've never actually been to a club before so, eh heh heh...And I've never written anything smutty before and have no experience with it either seeing as I am a virgin so I hope you like it anyway! XD

Ps. The Walking Dead is awesome! I like creepy things lol so the fact that I'm typing instead of watching should make you really proud of me!

I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist or any of its characters.

Warmth!

As soon I stepped inside Mustang's apartment, the incredible warmth hit me, and I sighed contently. The colonel shut the door behind me, locking it.

"You b-better not t-try anything, y-you bastard," I warned, still chattering a bit from the cold and hating how weak it made me sound.

Mustang rolled his eyes. "You mean like taking a picture of you tied naked to a bed? I think you've already covered that-no pun intended."

I flipped the bastard off, but he just laughed.

"If you're done insulting my honor and morals, how about we get you warmed up?"

"You have no honors or morals," I said, a shiver racking through my body. "But warming up sounds like a good idea."

"This way then, _Edaline,_" the colonel said, glancing at me from the corner of his eye.

I opened my mouth to tell him he didn't have to call me that anymore, but a hint of my dream slipped through my mind, and I shut my mouth with a firm snap.

The colonel headed for the stairs. "I don't really have anything that'll fit you," he said, looking me over.

"Don't call me small!" I snapped.

The colonel ignored me. "But I can give you something dry to change into and a hot shower if you want one."

The thought of a hot shower made my knees weak.

"Fine," I muttered, trying not to sound too grateful.

Mustang smirked knowingly. He started up the stairs and I followed him, still clutching his jacket around me, more for cover than warmth now that I was inside. I was holding my purse with two fingers and I randomly thought to myself that after all the rain, I hoped my phone still worked. As we reached the top of the steps, Mustang stopped abruptly and I crashed into his back.

"Oof!" I groaned. "What the hell was that for?"

Then out of the blue, the colonel started to laugh.

"What?" I said puzzled.

"I just realized something." The colonel laughed harder. "You really _were_ shopping for your mission!"

I gave him a swift knee to the ass, causing him to have to grab the banister to keep his balance, but he didn't stop laughing.

"You really are such an asshole!"

The colonel walked up the last few steps and turned back to me grinning. "I'm surprised they had your size there, Ed."

His eyes flitted to my breast and I hugged the jacket tighter, preparing a foot to kick him with. It was bad enough when he called me s...s...s...s-I couldn't even think the accursed word-but to insinuate that about my breasts? That was going too far!

"You're looking a bit warmer now," the colonel said, abruptly changing the topic.

I put my foot down before I lost my balance. Had he been trying to make me angry to warm me up? Nah. The bastard was just being his usual stupid self.

"But we have to get you out of those wet clothes," he continued.

I flushed at his unintentional innuendo, looking away so he wouldn't see.

But of course he did anyway.

"We _both_ should get changed," the colonel smirked. "We're dripping all over my carpet."

"It's only _you_ who's useless when wet," I shot at him.

I should have know that comment would backfire.

"Well I suppose you wouldn't be useless when...wet..." the colonel murmured in a suggestive tone.

My jaw fell open, my cheeks ablaze. I had no reply to that, so I stormed past the bastard, shoving him as I went. "Where's the damned bathroom?"

"Second door to your right."

I could hear the laughter in the bastard's voice. I shoved the door open and slammed it shut behind me.

"What about your change of clothes?" the colonel chuckled through the door.

"Dump it at the door, shove it up your ass; I don't care!" I was furious that I let that bastard effect me so...so thoroughly.

"Alright then. My towel's on the rack. It's clean; you can use it."

I didn't reply, and after a moment I could hear him walking away. I took a deep breath, kicking off my heels, and dumping my purse on the counter. I hadn't realized how painful my shoes were until now that they were off. I tossed Mustang's jacket on the floor, not caring if it made everything all wet. I cringed at that word. I would never think of it the same way again.

I opened the shower to let the water get hot. It took me a while to get my dress off, soaked as it was, and when I was finally, fully undressed, I stepped under the steaming jets of hot bliss.

For a few minutes I just stood there, letting the heat run down my body. My mind began to wander. Who was that woman at the club? She could be a nobody; just a stranger who happened to catch my eye, or maybe she was The Scientist's collector. I shook my head, the water flicking around. Damn that colonel bastard! Showing up there like that.

There was a knock at the door. Speak of the devil...

"Yeah?" I called gruffly.

"I'm leaving you a shirt and a pair of sweatpants outside."

"Yeah, sure, whatever."

"I'll be downstairs."

I waited for him to leave before reaching for the shampoo. Great. Now I would smell like him. Eau de Mustang.

I finished up and reluctantly shut the water. I wrapped myself in a towel and stepped out into the steamy room. I opened the door cautiously and peered out. The coast was clear, so I reached out, scooped up the clothing the bastard had left me, and shut the door quickly.

I clapped my hands together and transmuted the water in my hair to steam. It was an old and convenient habit of mine. I realized I didn't have anything to bind my breasts with and my bra was sopping wet so I just pulled Mustangs navy-blue, long sleeved T-shirt over my head. It was huge on me, but luckily it hid my NORMAL SIZED breasts. I didn't even know why I cared. I'd spent most of my life as a boy anyway and that wasn't going to change just because of one mission. After this I was back to being Edward Elric full time. Being Edaline again was changing me. I was acting...not like myself, and I didn't like it.

I had to roll up the legs of Mustang's pants several times so I wouldn't trip on them. I was tempted to transmute the clothing to fit me, but my eyes were starting to shut on their own and I just wanted a bed.

I left my wet-there was that word again-things and the towel in a pile on the floor, positive my dress was ruined, but quite happy about that. I wondered if Mustang had a dryer so I would at least be able to wear the panties, but immediately dismissed the idea. I didn't need that son of a bitch washing my underwear. I left them with my other we-drenched things. I'd deal with them soon.

I opened the door and made my way downstairs, stumbling a bit, my vision blurring. I really had to get some sleep. I spotted a couch and didn't think twice before collapsing onto it and letting my eyes droop shut.

_I was standing at the entrance to the old, abandoned motel. I walked in, knowing exactly where I was headed. I made my way upstairs to the room where I'd found the colonel and opened the door._

_There he was. Lying there naked and tied up._

_He turned to me as I walked in and smiled. It wasn't his usual cocky and arrogant grin, but a kinder, more gentle one. He wasn't injured; his body and face were perfect._

_"I've been expecting you, Edaline," he whispered in a low, deep tone. "Come closer."_

_I did. I walked over to the bed and looked at Mustang expectantly. I noticed then that I was wearing the red dress from the club. That was strange. Wasn't it supposed to be wet?_

_"Well?" the colonel asked. "What are you waiting for?"_

_His deep, dark eyes gazed, sexily into mine. Somehow I knew what he wanted. And it wasn't to unlock his handcuffs._

_I climbed onto the bed, leaving my heels on. I swung one foot over the colonel, straddling him low on his stomach. My dress crept up my legs, exposing my black panties._

_I gently put my hands on the colonel's stomach, sliding them higher on his smooth, hot skin. I leaned over as my hands moved up his body, until I was almost lying on top of him. My hands sunk into the bed above his shoulders as I held myself up, peering into the colonel's eyes._

_He looked up at me curiously. "What now, Edaline? What do you want now?"_

_I looked at this man's handsome face, confusion running through my mind, and sighed. "I don't know, Roy. I really don't know what I want."_

Roy walked out of the kitchen and into hisliving room. He'd been sure he'd heard Ed come downstairs. Then he spotted her fast asleep in the couch. He chuckled quietly. She looked tiny in his clothing. Then he chuckled harder, thinking about what she would do to him if he told her that. Roy reached for a blanket that had been tossed carelessly on the floor two days ago, it was it the day before that? He placed it gently over Ed. She didn't stir. He looked down at her fondly. She could be such a hot-head. When she slept was the only time her mouth was shut and she wasn't yelling at someone.

But good God.

That outfit. That damned, damned little red dress. Of all the sexy and hot women he'd ever been with, no one-absolutely no one-had ever effected him as Ed had in that little red dress.

"Stop it," Roy muttered. "You can't think of her that way. She's your subordinate and pretending to be a boy, at that."

The Fullmetal Alchemist was off limits.

Roy went upstairs to the bathroom and smiled ruefully, seeing the pile of wet things leaving a rather large puddle on his bathroom floor. He picked up the towel, placing it in the side and hung the little dress and the lacy black gloves up to dry. It felt wrong touching her things while she slept, but he figured she'd want them dry when she woke up, so Roy picked up the little black panties and the lacy push-up bra and took them and the towel to his washroom.

He heard a vibrating sound coming from the bathroom and went to find out what it was. It was coming from the purse.

Roy pulled out Ed's phone. It was his brother Alphonse. He picked up.

"Alphonse?"

"Who is this? Where's Edward?" Al asked in a worried voice.

"This is Colonel Mustang."

"Colonel? Is everything alright? Is my brother okay?!"

"Everything is fine. Your...brother...got caught in the rain on his way home from the club." Roy knew with a certainty that Ed would have told Al where he was going. "We're at my apartment. Your brother fell asleep. It doesn't look like he'll be waking up anytime soon though."

"Oh." There was a moment of silence. "You'll take care of him, colonel, won't you?"

"Don't worry about, Alphonse. He's in good hands." Roy paused as something occurred to him. "Maybe in the morning you can come over and bring him something more normal to wear home? I live at 4471 Ameline Drive. It's about a block from the club."

"No problem, colonel. I'll be over at eight. Bye."

"Good night."

Roy hung up and looked down at the phone in his hand. Slowly he clicked on the icon that said 'images'. He scrolled through some photos of Alphonse and their friend Miss Rockbell. Finally, he reached the one he was searching for.

The one of him. Naked. Tied to a bed. That had been a bad night. Roy hadn't been lying when he said he couldn't really remember, but he knew a lot more than he was letting on. His finger hovered above the erase option. If this got out, his career at the military would be set back by about thirty years.

Slowly Roy shut the phone, leaving the picture in tact.

Thanks for reading! That was my first attempt at adding in a bit of Mustang's point of view; let me know what you think. See ya!


	11. Chapter 11

OMG I love my fans so much! I get so happy when I see people reading my story within minutes of publication! I really hope you're enjoying! And a special thank you to all my fans out there who review! You hold a special place in my heart right next to books and chocolate :P

This chapter gets a bit strange near the end, but it's there for a reason so don't criticize! :P

I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or any of its characters.

Someone was shaking me awake, but I didn't want to get up yet. I was still half asleep; still lying on top of the colonel in the old motel. Someone shook me again. I moaned, feeling hot and sweaty. My heart rate quick and loud. I could almost smell the colonel's cool musky scent.

Hang on.

I _could_ smell the colonel's cool musky scent.

I cracked open an eye, my breath coming out in quick pants. Colonel Mustang's face was inches from my own, looking down in concern. I scrambled back, almost falling off the couch in the process.

"You were having a nightmare, Ed."

Nightmare? I wouldn't exactly call it that.

"Where am I?" I asked, momentarily confused.

"You came to my house after we got caught in the rain last night. Do you remember? You fell asleep on my couch."

I blinked. Oh, right. The club. The shower. The dream.

I flushed. Damn it! Why was I having these dreams?

The colonel still looked concerned. "Are you okay now?"

"I'm fine!" I growled.

I looked down to hide my sweat-covered, crimson cheeks and noticed that the shirt I'd borrowed from mustang had twisted around and rode up as I slept. And my breasts weren't bound. I yanked the shirt down, my face burning. I'd blushed more in the past two days than in my entire life.

The colonel took a step back. "It's only 7:30. Your brother called after you fell asleep. I told him what happened, and he's going to bring you a change of clothes soon."

I yawned, my stomach grumbling loudly, and I realized how starving I was. "Great. Then I'll be out of here. You got anything to eat?"

"Help yourself to whatever you find in the kitchen." The colonel hesitated as if he had more to say.

"Was there something else, colonel?"

"I was thinking; why don't you stay here while on this assignment? If you're going to be walking outside late at night looking like that, wouldn't it be more convenient for you to stay closer to the club?"

"No way bastard!" I kicked off the blanket from my feet. "I better not see you there again! I don't need you screwing this up."

"Think again, Fullmetal," the colonel said in a commanding tone. "I _will_ be there. That's not the question. There's no way I'd let _any_ officer on this assignment alone, and you are no different."

"Fine," I shrugged, standing up. "I can't control where you go, but I am _not_ staying here, and you can't make me!"

"I'm not going to force you, Fullmetal, but will you at least let me drive you to and from Supernova? You can leave your jacket in my car-assuming you have another that is-and there'll be less of a chance of you being spotted dressed like that."

"Havoc's already seen me and _he_ didn't recognize me," I muttered.

"You really want to chance it again? Speaking of which, do I want to know how you got out of your room at a military dorm dressed like that?"

I looked down, the guilt written on my face clear as day.

"Just as I thought. Are you sure you won't reconsider my offer and stay here?"

"I'm sleeping at home," I replied firmly. "But if you want to drive me I have no problem using you to complete my assignment."

The colonel rolled his eyes. "Stubborn as ever, I see."

I walked past him and into the kitchen. I started open up the cabinets. "Where's the food, colonel?! There's nothing here!"

"There's some bread over there," Mustang said, leaning on the wall. "I probably have something to spread on it in the fridge."

I glared at the bastard. "Don't you eat?"

"I'm usually not home. I come here to sleep mainly."

When I managed to scavenge a decent amount of food, I sat down and started eating.

"Woah! Slow down, Fullmetal. It isn't going anywhere," the colonel chuckled.

"I'm starfing!" I mumbled between bites. "I didn't eaf laft nighf."

The colonel shook his head. "Speaking of last night," he began in a teasing voice.

I looked up, my eyes narrowing, still munching away. "I'd think good and well before saying anything, if I were you, colonel."

"Not at all, Fullmetal," the colonel said waving his hand. "I just wanted to let you know your dress and gloves are drying in the bathroom."

My heart skipped a beat. "And my...other things?" I asked slowly.

"Oh, I tossed them in the laundry." The bastard winked at me as I choked on my food. "I figured you'd need them for tonight."

After I finished eating I went upstairs to reclaim my clothing. I still could not _believe_ that asshole had actually washed out my...my personal items. The thought of Mustang's fingers touching my bra and panties...

_I gently put my hands on the colonel's stomach, sliding them higher on his smooth, hot skin. I leaned over as my hands moved up his body, until I was almost lying on top of him._

My breath quickened. Why was I having these dreams? I didn't _like_ the bastard, did I? One dream, I could dismiss, but two? Another one like this and I wouldn't be able to look Mustang in the eye.

It wasn't that I was new to the idea of sex; I wasn't that ignorant child anymore. I wasn't even a virgin.

It had been about a year after Al had gotten his body back. I was traveling around, exploring different kinds of alchemy. On my way to the country of Mexello, I found myself in a small village in the middle of the Amazria jungle. It was home to a village of female warriors who'd never even heard of alchemy. There were no men allowed in their village. They had an interesting and very different way of life.

Once in their lifetime, when they were old enough, they would go out on their own for one year to experience life away from home and have a child if they wanted to. If they gave birth to a boy, they could choose to never return to the village or leave their child and come home. If the child was a girl they could bring the child home with them.

But they _did_ have a choice.

I don't know how, but they knew right away that I wasn't a boy. The leader of the village, a fierce woman by the name of Priestess Amenantra, allowed me to stay and rest up on condition that I dressed as a girl while I was staying with them. She couldn't understand why I would want to pretend to be a boy.

It was difficult living with the Amazarians. They had a...very direct approach to everything-kill or be killed. They were survivors. I didn't stay with them long, but Priestess Amenantra asked me to promise her that when I left I would try to be my true self, just one time.

I promised.

I left the jungle, but I kept my promise to Amenantra. After I arrived in Mexello, I became Edaline again just for one night. Even Al doesn't know about my one night stand with the charming, funny boy from Mexello, who didn't care that I had an automail arm and more scars than I could count.

I hadn't meant for it to go that far, but I never regretted it-not even now. He was an orphan, living with his uncle. His uncle who I helped arrest after. After that night, I buried Edaline deep, deep down.

Until now.

A one night stand in a foreign country was one thing, but to be having such...such erotic dreams about that bastard Mustang? Damn it! And damn him! And damn those stupid dreams of mine.

It must have been seeing him tied up like that to the bed. My mind was just using what had happened to fuel my dreams. Uh huh. That was it.

_I climbed onto the bed, leaving my heels on. I swung one foot over the colonel, straddling him low on his stomach. My dress crept up my legs, exposing my black panties._

Agh! I angrily grabbed my dress and gloves from the bathroom and went to find that bastard Mustang's laundry room.

My face burned as I caught sight of my panties and bra spread out over the machine. I snatched them quickly, not caring if they creased.

I heard the doorbell ring.

Finally! I'd get my clothes back and feel like me again.

One thing Priestess Amenantra hadn't understood, and I suppose I hadn't either until after that night in Mexello; my true self _is_ the Fullmetal Alchemist. Nothing was going to change that.


	12. Chapter 12

Hi again! So, do to some brilliant ideas by my incredible fan Nikkie23534, I may just keep the Mexello boy in this story. I guess you'll find out as you read ;) If I do keep him in, I'll probably give you guys more insight on what actually happened the night...

I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or any of its characters.

I hurried down the stairs, eager to change back into my normal clothes. Mustang was just letting Al in when I reached the front door.

"My clothes!" I said, snatching the bag he was holding out of his hand.

"Good to see you too, brother," Al said wryly. "What in the world are you wearing."

I looked down at the overly large clothing Mustang had lent me. "Oh, this? I had to wear _something_, right?"

Mustang coughed and turned away and I narrowed my eyes in his direction. Al looked back and forth between us, confused.

"Anyway," I said. "I'm going to take off the colonel's clothes now. I'll be right back."

Mustang's shoulders shook with laughter and it took me a minute to realize what I'd said.

"Don't be a pig, you bastard!" I yelled, my face growing uncomfortably warm.

I ran upstairs to the bathroom and stripped off the clothes. I left them in a pile on the floor. Let _him_ deal with the mess. Al had even thought to pack a long bandage to bind my chest with. I got dressed and quickly braided my hair. Finally! I was me again. As I pulled on my white gloves I smiled. That was more like it.

I headed downstairs, a bounce in my step. Al and the colonel were having a very deep discussion. So much so that the colonel's phone was ringing, but he didn't seem to hear it.

"Isn't that your phone, colonel?"

"Huh? Oh!" Mustang pulled out his phone. "Excuse me," he said pressing talk.

"What we're the two of you talking about, Al?"

Al turned to me, an annoyed look on his face. "Brother, the colonel told me he offered for you to stay here on your assignment, but you turned him down. I think you should do it! It'll be a lot simpler than sneaking out through our floor every night!"

"Shhhhh, Al!" I hissed, looking over at Mustang, who was talking quickly into his phone. "I won't sleep here every night! The bastard says he's coming to the club every night that I'm on this mission. It's bad enough I have to put up with him there!"

"Maybe you can just come here to change so you won't have to sneak around! The colonel already knows you're a girl. It'd be perfect."

"N-" I started to protest, but stopped. Maybe that wasn't such a bad idea. "I'll think about it," I grumbled.

Al beamed.

"But only if the colonel buys some damn food! There's nothing to eat here!"

Just then, Mustang hung up the phone and walked over to us. "I'm going to need you to come in with me today, Fullmetal." His face was dead serious.

"Why? What's going on, colonel?" Al asked.

Mustang looked at me, shadows darkening his already black eyes. "There's been another victim. The Scientist has killed again."

I ran to keep up with the colonel as he hurried down the long hallway at central command.

"Wait up, colonel! What do you mean 'another victim'?"

The colonel didn't slow down. "I don't know any more than what I've already told you. We have a meeting with Major General Hatchet. She'll explain everything. This case is being given top priority."

I groaned at Hatchet's name. That woman made Lieutenant Hawkeye look like a stay-at-home mom.

We reached her office, and after two loud knocks, the colonel opened the door without waiting for a reply.

Hatchet had been talking to Major Tripson, but they paused when we walked in.

"Colonel, Fullmetal," Hatchet nodded at us, her icy gaze chilling my blood.

"Major General," the colonel replied, nodding back cooly. "We were told to see you regarding The Scientist's latest victim."

"I know why you're here, colonel. Have a seat."

"I'd rather stand, thanks."

The temperature in the room dropped thirty degrees. Apparently I wasn't the only one with an intense disliking for the major general.

"Have it your way then," she replied, not missing a beat. "Major Tripson is also here regarding The Scientist's victim. I thought it prudent that I wait to debrief you all together."

"Well we're here now, major general," I said impatiently. "What's this about another victim?"

Hatchet's cold eyes bore into mine, but I refused to look away. "This morning a body was found in an alley a few blocks from the new club Supernova. I believe Brigadier General Selton had you put on this case, Fullmetal, correct?"

"Yeah, that's right. I was there last night, but didn't see anything worth noting."

"Obviously you missed something."

Before I could say something stupid, the colonel broke in. "That's hardly fair, major general. I was at the club last night as well. There was no way of detecting when someone could have gotten taken. Are we even so sure these victims were snatched at the club? They could have been leaving or even in their way in."

"You tell me, colonel. Did you see this man last night?" Hatchet opened a folder on her desk and pulled out a photo, handing it to Mustang.

The colonel looked at it, a slight curl of his lip, the only indication that he was effected by the image on the picture. "No. I don't recall seeing him there. Fullmetal?" Mustang handed me the picture.

I swallowed the rising bile in my throat. The victim was a man-or at least he had been one before The Scientist had worked on him. It seemed that The Scientist had exchanged his arms for his legs and warped his face into a child's drawing. His nose was too high up, his ears too close together; almost on his cheeks, but his eyes-his eyes had been removed completely and replaced with-

"Are those _pocket-watches_?" I asked.

"Yes. They were shoved into the sockets."

I shook my head in horror. "This man looks familiar. Have you got an ID on him yet?"

"We matched his prints to one Damian Snow."

Damian? My breath caught in my throat, but Hatchet just kept talking.

"He was here from Brittentia on a six month student visa, studying at Central University. His classmate confirmed that it is in fact Mr. Snow."

"I saw him," I whispered. "He _was_ at the club last night."

"Are you sure, Fullmetal?" Hatchet asked.

"Positive. I saw him at around eleven. After that I don't know."

"Coroner estimated time of death at around 5:45 am. The alchemy preformed on him would have taken at least four hours. Which means-"

"Our killer has to be close to the club," Mustang finished.

"You know," Tripson said, speaking up for the first time. "Davidson, the coroner, said he'd heard of cases like this before in countries outside of Amestris. It's possible that we have a copycat on our hands."

"Or most likely our killer isn't from Amestris," Hatchet said. "We may be looking for a foreigner, but don't let your guard down. Nothing is certain."

I had been looking at the picture of Damian while they spoke and something clicked in my mind. "This isn't his usual MO."

They looked at me.

"Until now The Scientist has been killing people who all has the same features. Shoulder-length, blond hair and light eyes.

"Not to mention that non of the previous victims were over five feet, four inches," Mustang added in.

"Yeah, yeah. Anyway, what I'm saying is that Damian doesn't match the other victims. He was talk, dark hair, dark eyes; the complete opposite of The Scientist's normal victims."

"So then what connects this man to the others?" Tripson mused.

"That's what we're going to find out," Hatchet said. "Colonel, I need you and Fullmetal to research the cases that were similar to this one. Find out everything you can."

"What about the club, major general?" I asked.

"The Scientist has never taken two victims on consecutive nights. But I'll post an officer near the club to be safe."

Mustang nodded. "Is that all, major general?"

"Yes. You two can go now. Major Tripson, if you can remain for just a few more minutes...?"

I left with the colonel. "I'm heading over to the library now, colonel. I'm going to see if they have any old newspapers from outside Amestris. Are you coming?"

"I have a few errands to run first, Fullmetal. I'll meet you there later."

We each went our separate ways, and as I made my way to the library, I pulled out my phone and called Al.

"What's going on, brother?"

"I'm heading to the library now to do some research for the case. I probably won't be home until really late tonight so don't wait up."

"Do you want me to come help you?"

"Nah, Al. That's alright. The colonel was also put to work on this."

"Oh, I see," Al teased. "So _that's_ how it is..."

"It's not like that, Al!"

"Keep telling yourself that, brother." Al sounded like he was grinning.

"Yeah, whatever! Call me if you need me."

"Bye."

I hung up and walked into the huge room filled with books from all over. It was my favorite place to be. I spent a good two hours just tracking down the articles and papers I was looking for. I sat down, making myself comfortable for the long haul.

"I see you got started without me."

I looked up as Mustang walked over to my table. "Took you long enough. I was starting to think you weren't going to show."

"And leave you to do all the work? Now why didn't I think of that before?"

"Bastard," I growled. "You can start with _those_." I indicated to the very tall pile of newspapers from four years ago.

"Fantastic," Mustang muttered sarcastically.

It didn't take long for the lazy, good-for-nothing to fall asleep. I ignored him and continued scanning the pages. There was a lot of interesting information on murderers who killed with alchemy, but no one who killed like The Scientist.

I read page after page for hours. The librarian came over to me and told me she was closing up for the night.

"That's alright," I said, not even glancing her way. "I'm here on official military business. Leave me the key and I'll lick up when I go."

"But, sir," she protested. "I'm afraid I can't allow that."

I pulled out my pocket watch and flashed it at her. "I'm guessing you're new here," I smiled grimly. "You'll be seeing a lot more of me around here."

She chose not to respond, looking at much watch as if she doubted it was real.

I rolled my eyes and kept working, while the colonel slept like a large, spoiled baby.

Hang on; here was something. A newspaper arrival from three years ago from the city of Arugi, far away from Amestris. There had been several killings done in a three month period. All fourteen of the victims were...petite...and had shoulder-length blond hair and light eyes.

Wait.

Arugi? Three years ago...I had been there then. It had been shortly after my trip to Mexello, on my way to Xing.

My thoughts were interrupted as the colonel stirred.

"What are you still doing here, Fullmetal?" Mustang asked yawning.

"Hunting elephants," I said sarcastically. "It's a _library_. People _read_ here-with the exception of those who use it as a bedroom..."

"Most people aren't still up at-what time is it anyway?"

I glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. How had it gotten so late?

"Just after two," I replied, going back to my book. "And for your information, I do some of my best work at night."

The colonel gave me a sly smile. "I'll bet," he murmured.

"Go back to sleep," I snapped. "You're most helpful when your mouth is shut."

"If you insist," the colonel put his head back down.

I sighed. If this man ever became Fuehrer we were all doomed.


	13. Chapter 13

Okay guys! I finally know where this story is going! Yay me! I think of all these stuff while I'm in the shower. Not yay me...My friend thinks it's hilarious, but I haven't had a decent shower since I started writing ATU (All Tied Up). The minute I turn the water on its like my brain goes into hyperdrive.

By the way, remember I mentioned that I might use clichéd story ideas? Well there's one at the end of this chapter I'm sure you've all read at one point or another... I hope you like how my version fits in to all this in the middle of the chaos. I'm writing this chapter while sick with a horrible cold so I figured I may as well spice things up a bit in. Well, enjoy!

I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or any of its characters.

I rubbed my eyes and yawned as sunlight streamed through the library windows. I had found all I was going to. That article from Arugi was the only one that indicated anything about The Scientist and that he may be from a different country. The article stated that similar killings had occurred as far back as seventeen years ago, but the killings had stopped for a short period about three years ago. After that, they had started up again, but authorities noted that the victims were different; having more similar appearances to each other in the second killings. The victims from the second killings had the same features as our victims now, with the exception of Damian. Authorities originally thought they had a copycat Scientist on their hands, but since they never caught The Scientist the first time, they assumed he had just changed his MO.

Could it be that The Scientist was just changing up it up yet again? Had he come to Amestris? Why?

My train of thought was interrupted by a tickle in my nose. I sneezed loudly, blowing a few papers away.

"Huh? What's going on?" The colonel opened one sleepy eye.

"Nothing," I replied, sniffling. I collected the papers into one pile. "Here, colonel." I handed him the article about Arugi. "All my research only turned up this one article. You can read it if you can stay awake long enough. I'm going to meet up with Al now. We had plans for today."

"Hang on, Fullmetal," the colonel said sitting up. "What about tonight? I know your going back to the club."

"Yeah, of course I'm going." I swallowed and said quietly, "I was right there, colonel. I was _with_ him-Damian."

"Don't do that, Fullmetal," the colonel replied sternly. "I know what you're thinking, and I forbid you to blame yourself. There's nothing you could have done. We don't even know when it exactly where they snatched him."

"You don't understand! I didn't just _see_ him at the club, colonel; he's the one he got me in so quickly so I didn't have to wait on line. He was at the bar with me and if I hadn't spilled my drink on hi-"

"Stop it right now, Fullmetal. There is _nothing_ you could have done differently."

"Bu-"

"Ed." The colonel looked at me hard. "Stop."

I swallowed hard, my throat feeling dry, and looked down. "I'm going now, colonel, but I'm coming by your place later to change."

"That's fine by me. I'll see you then." The colonel stood up and stretched. "Don't beat yourself up, Fullmetal. I'm sure there will be plenty of things we can actually blame on you soon enough." His voice took on a teasing tone. "Like that hole in your bedroom floor..."

"What hole?" I asked, grinning despite myself. "No hole here, colonel." I made a mental note to seal it off as soon as I got back. "Unless you're referring to the asshole colonel who made me do all the work while he slept."

"Glad to see you're back to your obnoxious self, Fullmetal." The colonel am gave an exaggerated yawn and stretched, groaning. "That was a _fantastic_ sleep."

"Figures all your good for is sleeping."

"Thats not very fair, Fullmetal," Mustang said with a mocking wink. "Sleeping is not _all_ I'm good for..."

"You're right," I said, ignoring what the colonel was implying. "Your great at being a human punching bag apparently." I nodded at Mustang's swollen lip and puffy eye, hunch looked even worse now that they were a day old. "When are you going to tell me what happened that night?"

The colonel's eyes darkened for a second. It happened so fast I almost missed it. He smiled ruefully.

"I'll tell you all about that night-after you erase that picture you took of me."

"Not going to happen, colonel. You know, I was thinking of printing it out and having it enlarged and framed. It would make a great addition to your office, don't you think?"

"Enlarged? I think it's fine the way it is, Fullmetal, don't you?"

I was saved from having to answer by the door opening. Lieutenant Hawkeye walked in.

"I thought I'd find you here, sir. Major General Hatchet said you were researching a case. She asked me to find you and Edward Elric."

"Did she say what it was about, Lieutenant?" I asked.

"No, No I didn't ask. She did say it was urgent that you come immediately, however. "

"Thank you, Lieutenant," Mustang said. "Let's go, Fullmetal."

The colonel led the way out of the library and we headed for central command. It wasn't a far walk. My stomach grumbled loudly, reminding me that I hadn't eaten in...a very long time. I'd grab a bite with Al after we met with Hatchet. Hopefully Al wouldn't be too annoyed that I was going to be a bit late today.

We were going to go get our driving permits today. I didn't really care much about driving, but Al was really excited and he asked me to do it with him. What was I supposed to say?

"I'm just going to grab some files from my office," Mustang said as we walked up the stairs to central command. "It won't take long."

We walked into Mustang's outer office, where all his underlings worked. Well, I used 'work' as a tentative term. The colonel went into his office and I waited outside.

"She was beautiful," Havoc was moaning, a cigarette wedged between his lips. "I'm telling you, I've never seen anyone like her before."

"That's what you say about them all," Breda replied, uninterested.

"She was different! Pity she had a boyfriend..."

"Even if she didn't, you wouldn't have stood a chance. If she was really as gorgeous as you say she was then the colonel would snatch her up the minute he saw her."

"Who are you talking about?" I asked.

"Just some woman Havoc claims to have saved from a group of street thugs two nights ago."

My eyes widened. There was no way in hell...!

"She wasn't just a some woman, Breda!"

"Who wasn't?" the colonel asked, stepping out of his office.

"No one," I replied quickly. "You ready?"

Havoc moaned and put his chin on his desk. "She was different, I tell you!"

I hurried the colonel out the door before he could ask any questions I'd rather not have answered. We walked quickly down the hall. Hatchet was standing outside her office talking to an officer I didn't recognize.

She sent the officer on his way and turned to us."Perfect timing, step inside."

The minute we were inside, Hatchet closed the door and turned to us. "There's been another victim."

"What? But there just _was_ one!" I said in shock.

"The victim was female, early twenties. It seems our killer is back to killing short blonds."

"He's getting reckless; unpredictable," Mustang said. "What does this mean?"

"It means the two of you have to catch this maniac before he kills anymore of our people. We're counting on the two of you to bring this psycho down."

"You can count on us, Major General," I said grimly.

"I sure hope so. You can go now."

We walked out in silence.

"We'll get him, Fullmetal. I promise you that," Mustang told me confidently.

"I don't doubt that, colonel. But will we get him before the body count gets even higher? I won't let this crazed lunatic kill again!"

I felt hot, burning with the desire to take this son of a bitch down.

"I'll see you tonight, Fullmetal."

"Yeah, see ya."

I called Al and we met up at a small diner. He wasn't angry with me, but he did yell at me a bit for not sleeping.

"You'll get sick if you keep this up, brother! You're going to be up late at the club tonight too! Your body needs to rest."

"I'll be fine, Al," I said shoveling food into my mouth.

"And when was the last time you ate? You're not a robot, even with your automail arm."

"You sound like Granny Pinako," I laughed.

"Someone's gotta take care of you if you won't take care of yourself."

"Thanks, Al, but really-I'm fine. Are we still going to get our driving permits today?"

"Yes! I can't wait to finally be doing something. You know, brother, I was thinking and maybe I should look for a job."

I coughed down a mouthful of food. "A job?"

"Yeah!" Al sounded excited. "You know I've been helping out sometimes at Mr. Dilinzer's repair shop, but I thought maybe I could find a real job."

"That is a real job, Al."

"Anyway, I've been asking around and central elementary school is willing to hire me to teach beginner's alchemy to fifth and sixth grade."

"_You_, a teacher?"

"Does it really sound that funny, brother?" Al asked defensively.

"No, no! Not at all, Al. It's just, s bit of a shock, is all. I wasn't expecting that."

But now that I thought about it, Al would make a pretty awesome alchemy teacher. He loved kids and had a lot more patience than I did.

"You should go for it, Al. I think you'd be great!"

Al's face broke into a relieved smile. "You really think so?"

"Yeah, I do. They'd be lucky to have you."

"Alright then! I'm going to do it! Maybe I could get a kitten as the class pet..."

I groaned. "No cats, Al!"

After we ate, we walked down to sign up for our permits. We had to take a ridiculously easy test and stand on a bunch of crazy long lines until I was going out of my mind, but if it made Al happy I would do it. When we were finally out of there it was getting dark already.

"That was a wasted day," I grumbled, my head aching. "What the hell do they have so many different lines for?"

"I don't know, brother, but aren't you glad we did it?" Al walked with a bounce to his step and I couldn't help, but smile.

"Sure, but I'm still mad that you didn't let me flash my pocket watch at them. It would have made things go a lot quicker."

"I wanted to have the full experience."

"I would have been happy with half the experience," I mumbled.

We got back to our room, and after I had sealed the floor and tossed my things in a bag I made my way to Mustang's house. I got there and rand the doorbell. The colonel answered almost immediately.

"Come on in, Fullmetal. You're s bit late."

"I know, I know. I'll going to get ready."

I went upstairs to get dressed, my head still pounding from earlier. Why were there so many damned lines?

I stripped off my clothes and pulled on my panties and bra. They were the same ones as last time. My face flushed as I thought about Mustang washing them out.

Tonight I was wearing a very tight emerald-green dress that made made out of some kind of shiny material. It had long sleeves of course and a pretty low boat neck, but as revealing and fitted as this dress was, it had nothing on the red dress from last time. I put in the matching heels and undid my braid. The makeup didn't take as long as last time, now that I'd remembered a bit of how to put it on.

When I was ready, I headed downstairs.

"You ready, colonel?"

Mustang walked in from the kitchen. "Yeah, now we can g-whoa."

I raised an eyebrow, wincing as it made my head hurt more. "What?"

The colonel swallowed. "Nothing. I said now we can get going."

"Great. Let's go catch this psycho."

I stepped towards the door, but suddenly the room was spinning. I tripped in my heels, stumbling forward. Mustang grabbed my arm to steady me.

"Whoa there! You okay?"

"I'm fine," i pulled away from him and shook my head to clear it. "I just tripped. Stupid heels."

Before I could stop him, Mustang's hand shot out and touched my forehead.

"Damn it, Fullmetal! You're burning up. Why the hell didn't you say anything? You can't go out like this."

"I'm fine, bastard. It's probably just a cold. I'm going to the club tonight."

I started for the door again, but everything was spinning. I was fine before; what happened? So my throat was hurting and I felt a bit warm-so what? I had to catch The Scientist before he killed again.

"You're not going, Fullmetal. It must have been getting frozen in the rain and then staying up all night at the library. You're sick."

"No I'm not. What I am is the perfect bait for The Scientist. I have shoulder-length, blond hair and light eyes. I match the killer's type! Of course I'm going tonight."

"You may be blond and short, but you're also sick-you're not going and that's final."

"Don't call me sh-" I coughed, my throat burning from the exertion. "-ort," I finished.

"I rest my case," the colonel bastard said.

"Come upstairs. You can have my bed."

"I need to be at that club tonight. You can't get me into bed that easily, bastard."

"Oh no?" the colonel raised a brow and before I could stop him, he had slipped one arm under my knees and one on my back and was carrying me up the stairs.

"Put me down!" I yelled hoarsely, struggling in vain. I seemed to be getting weaker by the minute.

"Not a chance. You are going to be a good little alchemist and stay home tonight."

"I have an assignment! I have to go."

The colonel stopped at the top of the stairs and looked down at me. "Once you're in bed, I'll go to the club. You don't have to worry. I won't let that deranged killer do any more harm."

I stopped struggling. If he was going to the club then I would just wait for him to leave. Then I could sneak out on my own.

"Fine," I sniffled, my nose feeling plugged up. "But I'm counting on you, colonel."

Mustang brought me into his room and put me in the bed. I closed my eyes and and sighed, pretending to fall asleep. I could feel the colonel pulling off my heels and spreading the covers over me.

I waited for him to leave.


	14. Chapter 14

Hi guys! Hope you're all enjoying ATU. I think my favorite part of writing is seeing all your reactions to each chapter. I was sitting at work when I received an email that a review had been posted. I read it, laughing out loud, while getting strange looks from everyone in the room.

Also, I lately started writing late into the night...Like Ed, I do some of my best work at night... -_-

This chapter is in third person, following Roy. None of you really seemed to care last time I did it, and I need to do it now so I hope you enjoy!

I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or its characters.

Roy arrived at Supernova, still thinking about the small blond figure in his bed. He hoped she would be okay. He shook himself mentally. Tonight, he had to focus. The stakes were getting higher.

It didn't take long for Roy to chat up the first pretty, single woman he saw. It was always easier to be inconspicuous at a club when you were with someone. Slipping the bored looking bouncer some cash, assured that Roy and his new date didn't have to wait outside for too long.

"Let's get a drink, Roy," the tall, woman with sexy dark eyes said in a low husky voice.

"Hmm?" Roy was still thinking about Ed. "Oh, if that's what you want, Jen." He smiled at her distractedly.

Jen looked at him a bit annoyed, but if this good-looking, man was paying she'd put up with him for a bit.

She led him through the crowd to the bar, ordering herself a shot of tequila while Roy ordered a beer.

"So, Roy, what do you do for a living? Something interesting, I hope."

Roy smiled genuinely now. "Well, Jen, in my line of work I do many things."

"Oh?" She licked her full lips slowly. "Like what?"

"I track people down, for one."

"You mean like a bounty hunter?"

"Not exactly," Roy chuckled. "I have a more steady job than that."

Just then he spotted a flash of long, red hair in the crowd.

Was that...Kiara?

Kiara was a woman Roy had gone out with a couple of times. Havoc had "introduced" her to him, and much to Havoc's great "joy", Kiara and Roy had hit it off. She was funny, intelligent, and easy on the eyes. Kiara wasn't the usual kind of woman Roy went out with. She was deaf, but he actually liked that about her. She didn't let it be a handicap.

She reminded him of Ed in that way. Ed had never let her automail hold her back.

Last time Roy had seen Kiara had been-

That night.

The night he found himself handcuffed to a bed.

Roy tried desperately to remember what had happened that night. He had taken Kiara to Supernova. The club was the hottest new thing. It'd inly been open a week, and he'd thought she might enjoy it. They had been having a good time doing shots and then-

Then what?

Roy couldn't remember what had happened after. When he'd gotten home after Ed released him, he'd tried calling Kiara to see if she was alright, but she hadn't answered. He hadn't heard from her since. What was she doing here now? Maybe she'd thought he'd just left her there and moved on with her life.

Or maybe not.

Jen was doing a second shot of tequila, when Roy turned to her.

"Will you excuse me for a minute? I thought I saw someone I know."

Jen smiled, biting her lip. "Hurry back, Roy."

Roy was already gone. He saw another flash of red hair and went in that direction. His heart was racing erratically. Something wasn't right. He had a bad feeling as if something was nudging at the corner of his mind, but no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't remember what it was.

Then the woman half turned to him-he could see that it was indeed Kiara. She threw a sly smile his way before slipping away into the crowd.

And in a rush, it all came back to him...

_Kiara handed Roy another shot. She held hers up and they downed them together. Roy's head swam._

_"I think that's enough, Kia," he laughed, making sure she could read his lips. "I _do_ need to make it home tonight."_

_Kiara shook her head playfully and held up one finger._

_"Alright then," Roy said giving in. "One more it is."_

_He took the shot and swigged it back. Everything went blurry._

_"Whoa. I know I didn't have _that_ much to drink."_

_Roy could hold his liquor well, but tonight it seemed to be going straight to his head._

_"I'll be right back, Kia."_

_Roy stumbled to the bathroom, leaning on the wall to stay up. He knew something was wrong. He shoved the bathroom door open, almost falling on his face as he entered. He staggered up to the sink and fumbled to open it. Splashing the cold water on his face, he took deep breaths._

_Obviously there had been more than vodka in those shots. But who would drug him? Kiara? To what purpose? Had someone bribed the bartender? Maybe someone who knew he was in the military?_

_Roy was so out of it, he didn't even notice when someone came up behind him and hit him over the head._

_That was the last thing he remembered until he woke up, groggy and confused, bound naked to a bed in a dark room._

_"Where am I?" he groaned in a slurred voice. "Where's my clothes?"_

_Roy had a strange urge to laugh at the situation. It must have been the drugs still in his system._

_A figure stood near the bed, but Roy couldn't make out any features in the darkness. Suddenly there was a blinding pain in his eye as the figure struck him._

_A cold male voice said, "I'll ask the questions, colonel."_

_"Who're you?"_

_Another punch; this time Roy's lip split open._

_"I'm in need of your assistance, colonel," the voice said, "Tell me, have you ever come across a blond female officer in the military with an automail arm?"_

_"You mean the Fullmetal Alchemist?" Roy replied, the drugs causing him to talk. "She's a girl, but she's really a boy. Haha, but she's really not."_

_"What are you talking about?"_

_There was a blur of movement on Roy'__s right and t__here was a flash of white-hot pain on his arm. Roy cried out, his mind clearing slightly. He could feel his blood dripping from the gash where he'd been cut._

_"What were you saying, colonel? About this Fullmetal Alchemist? I'm looking for a short, blond officer with an automail arm."_

_"Edward Elric." Roy nodded, the drugs swirling through his head, fogging his mind. "The Fullmetal Alchemist is really a girl, but you can't call her short; Ed doesn't like that!" He laughed, slightly crazed. "You won't tell anyone she's a girl, will you? Shhhhhh! It's a secret."_

_"You're telling me that this Fullmetal Alchemist is a girl with an automail arm pretending to be a boy?" The voice sounded incredulous. "Answer me!"_

_The was another sharp pain as a second slice was carved into Roy's arm._

_"Uh huh, uh huh." The colonel's head bobbed up and down on the pillow, frantically. "That's Ed."_

_"Edward Elric...Ha!" The voice laughed. "I finally found you."_

_The dark figure turned and spoke to someone in the corner of the room. "Give him enough drugs that he won't wake up 'till morning." There was a pause and then the voice said, as if replying to a silent question, "No, I'm not going to kill him yet. The colonel still has a part to play in all this. We have to go now; I still have one more thing to do tonight."_

_Roy felt the prick of a needle and just before his eyes slid shut, a light went on, and he could have sworn he saw a flash of red hair..._

Roy gasped as his memories flooded back in a whirlwind of panic. That must have been what made him call Ed first thing after he'd woken up in that room. Something in him must have felt the need to protect the Fullmetal Alchemist.

Roy looked around frantically, but Kiara was gone. It must have been her in that room that night. Seeing her again must have triggered the memories that had been buried under a drug induced haze. His blood boiled in a mix of fear, dread and anger. He had to go home; make sure Ed was alright. She was vulnerable and weak now-

But no! They didn't know where she was. She would be safe, and he had a job to do. Besides, when had Fullmetal ever been weak? Tomorrow he could put a protective detail on her-not that that had worked out so well the last time, but there was no way he'd allow her to remain on this case not when Kiara was here and the man unaccounted for.

Roy's mind was in hyperdrive as he frantically tried to fit the pieces of this puzzle together. The man had known Ed wasn't a boy. In fact, he hadn't seemed to know she dressed as all the time. Which begged the question of how did he know her?

Roy cursed himself for answering those damned questions. He should have fought harder! He was a man of the military, for God's sake! He was always a target and never should have left his guard down. Now he had put Ed in danger.

At least she wasn't here tonight...

Roy's heart leaped into his throat. It couldn't be. Even that damned Elric wasn't stupid enough to-

Of course she was.

There she was, standing off to the side, looking for all the world as if she wasn't burning a temperature of over a hundred in that damned green dress, wearing those damned high heels.

"Why won't you ever listen, Edaline?" the colonel whispered to himself, his heart sinking low into his chest. "Why won't you ever listen?"


	15. Chapter 15

Hi again! This chapter switches back to Edaline, and it backtracks just a bit so you can get an idea of what was going through her mind. Sorry about the wait and enjoy!

I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist or any of its characters.

Getting to the club had been easy after I'd found the Advil in Mustang's bathroom cabinet. Once the medicine had kicked in, I was gone. My headache had lessened to a dull pounding, and though I was still feeling hot, I wasn't shaky. I could stand without my knees wobbling.

I'd come prepared this time; a single bill had gotten me stamped and in the club in no time. That colonel bastard wasn't going to keep me from catching this killer.

Last night in the library I'd had time to go over The Scientist's file-more specificity, his victims.

Alison Handler, age sixteen. She'd snuck out to the club behind her parents' backs and would never get to tell them she was sorry. Penilope Tyler, age twenty-three. She'd had a baby girl. Lexy Kane, twenty-nine and former mother of two. Georgia Smithson, twenty-six. She'd wanted to become a doctor. Mary Anne Patterson, eighteen. She'd still been in school. Thomas Cradford, twenty-one. He'd wanted to join the military. Damian Snow, twenty-three. Just a guy from Brittentia, here to learn at Central University. And finally, Silvia Dawson, twenty-two. I hadn't been able to look over her file yet, but I would. I owed it to these people to avenge their deaths.

People. Not just nameless victims in a file. They had lives before they were killed; dreams, other people who cared about them.

I stood to the side observing the crowd. Somewhere in this writhing, sweaty mass was a killer. Maybe not The Scientist himself, but his accomplice. My eyes narrowed, and I ignored the fact that the music was drilling a hole through my head. I _would_ find them. For Allison and Penilope and Damian and all the others.

I was startled when my purse vibrated in my hand. I snapped it open, pulling out my phone. Why was Al calling me now? He knew I'd gone to the club. Mustang hadn't told him I was sick, had he?

It wasn't a call; it was a text. And it wasn't from Al; it was an unknown number.

_You'd better run, Fullmetal because if I catch you you're going to be the one tied to the bed._

My jaw dropped open. Mustang. How'd he get my number? I looked around, slipping my phone back into my bag.

There.

Staring daggers at me, Mustang was marching right at me, a determined look on his face. My eyes widened. There was something in his expression that told me if he caught me, he'd toss me over his shoulder there and then and take me back to his place to make good on that promise.

I made a break for it.

I scurried towards the bathrooms on the far side of the room, feeling just a bit light-headed. I think I may have crashed into a few people on the way, but I didn't look back. I reached the bathrooms and hurried into the one marked 'women'. At least he couldn't follow me on here.

I should have known better.

Not a minute had passed before the door slammed open and the colonel stormed in. Luckily, there was no one else in here. Although, on second thought I might have had use for some witnesses.

"You can't be in here, bastard," I said, avoiding his glare.

He came at me, all the fury of hell written on his face. "Why. The hell. Are. You. HERE!?"

"I have every right to be here, you bastard," I cleared my dry throat. "A little cold isn't going to keep me away."

"Little cold?" The colonel let out a hiss of air through clenched teeth. "You have no idea the danger you're in! You have to go now!" He slammed his fist down near the sinks to punctuate his words.

"What are you talking about, colonel? I'm in no more danger than you are. Alright, so I look a bit like some of the victims, but that could work in our favor."

"You have no idea wh-" the colonel stopped, letting out a grunt of frustration.

I couldn't understand why he was being like this. "I've been in more danger than this before, colonel. I'm feeling better-honestly."

"It's not about that!" The colonel ran his fingers through his hair looking as though he was about to rip it out.

"Then what is this about?" I shouted. "Why am I in any more danger than you!?"

"Because they're looking for you!" The colonel burst out. "Asking about a female officer with an automail arm. Sound familiar? I think one of them is here tonight!"

I froze. "What did you say?" I asked in a whisper.

The colonel took an audible breath and said in a quieter voice, "That night when you found me tied to the bed I'd been drugged and taken from this club. The woman I was with that night; I'm almost positive she was the one who drugged me. I woke up in that room and a man was asking all these questions about you. It was too dark to see who he was."

"Questions...?" My heart was racing at a thousand miles an hour.

"I don't think he knew that you're the Fullmetal Alchemist, but he knew you worked in the military. He only seemed to know you as a girl. He was surprised when he heard you dressed as a boy."

"And you _told_ him?" My breathing was ragged. "Not only that, but you knew some psychopath had tied you to a bed-beaten you, by the look of your face-was asking questions about me, and YOU DIDN'T TELL ME?"

"I was drugged, Ed." The colonel looked into my furious eyes. "I didn't remember any of it until just before when I saw Kiara again. She's the woman I was with that night. I think she might have been in that motel room too."

I swallowed hard, my hand shaking. "The man, did he have an accent?"

"What? No-I don't know. I can't remember. Maybe. So you know who it was?"

There was only one man who it could have been. I could count on my one good hand how many people knew I was a girl. Of those few, all except one knew I was the Fullmetal Alchemist.

"No," I lied. I could deal with this without the colonel. "I have no idea who it could have been."

The bathroom door opened, and a voice from so deep in my past, it couldn't possibly be real, said, "I'm disappointed to hear that, Edaline. Especially after all the trouble I've been through to find you."

The colonel swung around, in a defensive position to face the voice.

And there he was.

The charming orphan-boy from Mexello strutted in confidently, followed closely by a red-headed woman-the same woman I'd seen looking around last time I'd been here.

I was frozen in place, unable to move, unable to talk. Who knew my past would come all the way to Amestris to haunt me like this?

"Kiara," Mustang hissed.

The woman smiled, a cruel glint in her eyes.

"Yes, colonel," the handsome, dark-haired man said. "It's good to see you again. I believe you've already gotten to know my cousin."

The colonel recoiled. "Cousin?"

"Yes; cousin. I sent her in to find you, colonel. You were my only link to finding Edaline."

"How do you know Ed?" the colonel demanded. "What do you want from her?" In one fluid move, he pulled out of his pocket one of the gloves he used for his alchemy, slipped it on, and was poised to snap.

The Mexello boy laughed in genuine amusement. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, Flame Alchemist. You wouldn't want Kiara to let go of any of those by accident."

Kiara held up a hand grenade in each hand, and the colonel put his gloved hand down.

"That's better," the boy from Mexello said. "You have no idea what this is all about, do you, Colonel Mustang?" He turned to me. "Will you tell him or should I?"

I snapped myself out of my stupor. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Dylan. Why _are_ you here?"

An enraged look past over Dylan's face, so primitive, so monstrous, I took a step back. "Are you really asking me that after all you've put me through!?"

The colonel turned his head slightly to look at me, but I was honestly confused. All I'd put him through? Yes, I'd arrested his uncle, but his uncle had been running an illegal trafficking operation of women and drugs on the blackmarket. It wasn't personal.

"You're crazy!" I yelled. "All I did was put a disgusting criminal in jail where he belonged!"

Kiara took an angry step forward, but Dylan put up an arm to hold her back.

"Is that all? You really _don't_ know, do you?"

"Dylan, when I met you, I had no idea that man was your uncle. The family I'd been staying at had their daughter kidnapped from their home by your uncle and was going to be sold as a sex slave overseas. I promised them I'd get her back, and I did. It wasn't until after...that night...when you introduced him as your uncle that I knew. So yeah, I had him arrested, but you had nothing to do with it, Dylan."

"Liar! You used me to get to my uncle; Kiara's father. You _used_ me Edaline! Why else would you have approached me in that bar? My uncle raised me as his own, and the first woman I bring into my bed in months has him thrown into prison. You expect me to believe that was just a coincidence?"

The colonel made a strangled sound, but I ignored him. Damn it! Dylan was so far gone, I'd never convince him of the truth. He wanted to believe I set him up.

He wasn't done talking. "The Scientist has a very special present for you, Edaline," he said slowly and deliberately.

A chill ran up my spine. "You're working for that lunatic?" I gasped. "You're mad! What do you want, Dylan? An apology? I'm not sorry I put that filth where he belongs."

Before I could say anything more, Kiara tossed one of the grenades at us.

"Oh shi-!" the colonel began, grabbing me and ducking into a bathroom stall.

The stall door was thrown off its hinges by the concussive blast and slammed into us. My head hit the wall with a crack and I saw stars.

"Colonel!" I yelled, but I couldn't hear anything.

My ears were ringing, and I tried to sit up. Water was shooting out of a broken pipe near the toilet. The colonel had been thrown on top of me in the blast, shielding me from the worst of it, and the stall door had fallen on top of him.

"Colonel!" I yelled again, knowing it was useless.

Mustang was out cold, pressing me down. I shook him frantically. We had to get out of here; she still had another grenade and I didn't want to stick around for another one of those blasts.

The colonel's face scrunched in pain as he came to, and I sighed in relief. He looked up at me and tried to say something, but I still couldn't hear anything but the ringing in my ears. He gave up and shoved the door off of him. I clapped my hands together and created an opening in the wall behind me. I motioned the colonel to follow and I crawled out. It led out onto the street, just around the corner from the entrance.

The ringing in my ears died down, and I could make out the sounds of panic as people ran from the club, not knowing what had caused the earth shattering explosion.

"-the military," the colonel was saying as he crawled through the opening.

It sounded muffled, as if I was underwater.

"What?" I asked, talking loudly.

"I need to call this in to the military. Put out an alert for Kiara and-Dylan?"

I nodded, but stopped when it made my head feel as though it was splitting open.

"I need to borrow your phone," Mustang said, sounding a little clearer. He winced, limping towards me. Blood dribbled down his outstretched arm. "I lost mine in the blast."

Somehow, through it all, I was still clutching that dammed purse. My phone seemed in tact and I handed it to the colonel. He dialed quickly and spoke in rapidly.

"This is Colonel Roy Mustang. I am at the club Supernova on Pladner Street. There has been an explosion caused by a male and female..."

He went on to give a brief description of them both.

"Suspects are armed and dangerous. They are suspected of having ties to The Scientist. We need to shut this place down now!"

The colonel spoke another moment and then he hung up, looking exhausted, beaten and bloody. I was sure I looked no better.

"Let's go," the colonel said, starting to limp down the block.

"We're not waiting for them to arrive?" I asked.

"No. We're going back to my place to get bandaged up and rested. There's nothing we can to now. Dylan and Kiara are probably gone. Even if they aren't, we're in no shape to take them on."

I wanted to argue, but the painful lump on my head convinced me otherwise. I stumbled up next to the colonel, and put his arm over my shoulder, helping him walk. He didn't say anything, and we walked in silence.

We got to the colonel's house quickly, but it didn't feel like it. My mind was so numb I couldn't think. We struggled up the stairs and into the bathroom. Mustang had a few basic medical supplies, and we did the best we could. I splashed cold water from the sink into my face. Still, we said nothing, washing off our blood in silence. There wasn't anything to say. Not tonight, anyway. When the blood was pretty much off, I took some of the bandages and disinfectant into Mustang's bedroom and sat on the bed. Mustang followed me in.

To think, it was only a few hours ago that he'd carried me up the stairs and placed me in this very bed. Would things have been different had I just stayed there? It would they have just been postponed until the next time I went to that club, all the while bodies piling up.

"Come here," I said, finally breaking the silence. It seemed my hearing was back to normal. "I'll disinfect your back. It took the worst of the blast."

Mustang looked at me and what I saw in his eyes was not defeat, or even anger. It was determination. We had a target now. That made me smile a bit.

Mustang tried to lift his shirt over his head, but grunted in pain.

"What is it?" I slowly got to my feet.

"Bruised a rib or two, I think. Nothing serious."

I hesitated for a moment before reaching out and sliding the colonel's shirt over his head. "Turn around, colonel. This is going to hurt."

The colonel let out a snort that turned to a hiss of pain as I dabbed his cuts and wounds and otherwise injured back with the stinging disinfectant.

"I told you it would hurt."

I helped him bandage some of the worse injuries and then he bound his ribs tightly. My bruises weren't so bad. The bump on my head was the worst wound I'd sustained.

"We can go get ourselves looked at in the morning," the colonel said in a tired voice, going to put the supplies back.

What a fine pair we made.

I didn't even reply. By the time the colonel returned, I was fast asleep.

Thanks for reading guys! When I first started this story I didn't expect anyone to really read it :P it was going to be a short story to help me practice writing smutty stuff. It didn't turn out as smutty or short as I thought it would... Now that I'm (hopefully) reaching the final stretch, it will probably take me a bit longer to get the chapters out. I don't want to rush it-it needs to be done right. So I'm sorry about that, but I will try as fast as I can! Also, when I say the final stretch...I might mean it, but that doesn't mean my story will cooperate. We'll see what'll happen.

Oh, one last thing. Just because this story is going to be (HOPEFULLY) over soon, doesn't mean that Edaline and Roy's story is over. I'll probably start a one-shot (that'll probably turn into another full length story) shortly after. So keep an eye out and for now enjoy All Tied Up!

-The most sleep-deprived author in the world...


	16. Chapter 16

Oh! The reviews! ;") Tears of joy! I'M SO HAAAAAPPPPPPYYYYYY! I love you guys so much! Thank you for being so patient! I'm sorry it took so long ;(

I must admit, I've been procrastinating a bit because I was afraid I couldn't possibly live up to all your praise. I can also (arrogantly) admit that the past chapter was rather awesome and I wanted to make sure this one is just as great! I hope you think it is!

I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or its characters.

_I was sitting on the colonel's bed. Waiting. Strangely, I was wearing the red dress from my first night at Supernova. The door opened and I looked up. The colonel walked in and closed the door behind him._

_"Why are you here?" I asked._

_He tilted his head, an amused smile on his lips. "This _is_ my house, Fullmetal."_

_I was confused. "So why am I here?"_

_"You tell me."_

_The colonel walked up to the bed. I noticed he wasn't wearing his uniform. It was getting less and less weird to see him dressed casually._

_"Stop," I told him, withdrawing onto the bed, until my back hit the backboard._

_"Why?" The colonel still advanced._

_The question startled me. "I don't know."_

_The colonel climbed onto the bed, coming closer until he leaned over me, his face inches from mine._

_"What do you want, colonel?" I whispered, afraid to hear the answer, but needing to hear it all the same._

_The colonel reached up and gently brushed a finger against my cheek. "Call me Roy, Edaline."_

_"Roy," I breathed._

_He smiled, his fingers trailing down my face to my body. "Yes..."_

_I moaned, tilting my face up to his. "What do you want, Roy?"_

_Roy's hand slipped up my dress, his fingers scorching a path on my skin. He brought his lips to my neck, sucking, biting. I gasped, my back arching up, forcing my body up against his._

_"Wait!" I gasped out, barely able to speak. "You haven't answered my question, Roy."_

_The colonel's lips trailed up my neck, leaving flashes of heat in their wake. He pressed them close to my ear and whispered, "What do I want, Edaline? I want you."_

I sucked in a sharp breath as my dream faded, yet remaining so vivid in my mind. I couldn't move, couldn't even open my eyes. My body had gone numb. My stomach was twisted in knots, and I was trembling from-from what? Need? Longing?

No!

I took deep breaths, trying to slow my heart rate back to normal. My head was lying on something warm and hard. Too warm. Too hard. My head aches badly and my fever was back in all its glory.

Wait-where was I?

I opened my eyes slowly.

What. The. Fuck.

Was I still dreaming? I was lying on Mustang's firm, muscular arm, my face pressed against his bare, bandaged chest. My real arm was thrown carelessly over his body. The colonel was fast asleep.

My face heated up-and it wasn't the fever. What a dream to have while lying in bed with-

Why was I in bed with Mustang? The last thing I could remember...was falling asleep in his bed.

I groaned, the rest of my night coming back to me in a rush of aches and pains. I had to get up; find out what'd happened after we'd left. I had to get out of here before he woke up.

Quietly, cautiously, I lifted my arm from his chest and rolled away. My heart skipped a beat as the colonel muttered in his sleep and shifted to the side.

I climbed out of bed, finally releasing the breath I'd been holding. I was still wearing the damned green dress. Then again, I suppose it was a good thing I was still wearing it...

My face burned again. The damned thing had rode up while I was sleeping and was now around my waist. I yanked it down quickly, glancing back at Mustang to make sure he was still asleep.

He wasn't.

My face flamed up yet again as I met his sleepy gaze. "What are you staring at, bastard!?" I shouted, regretting it when my head pounded harder as a result.

"I _was_ staring at a pair of sexy black underwear until you pulled your dress down," the bastard replied, closing his eyes.

I grabbed the nearest thing, which (luckily for the asshole) was a pillow, and slammed it down on his smug little head.

"Ow," a muffled voice said.

I stormed out of the bedroom, my whole body screaming in protest, and went to the bathroom to shower and change back into my normal clothes. Humiliated didn't cover it. Had he been up when I'd been...s-s-snuggling(!) against him? I wouldn't be able to look him in the eye. I was supposed to be the Fullmetal Alchemist, not some weak, stupid little girl! This was exactly why I hid my gender from everyone! This never would have happened had I been a boy.

I angrily braided my hair, and when I was back to my old self I headed downstairs, avoiding the bedroom completely.

I was Edward again. Granted I was running a high fever and possibly had a concussion, but I wouldn't let that hold me back. It never had before.

I went into the kitchen in search of something to eat. Luckily, Mustang wasn't there so I assumed the bastard had gone back to sleep. Asshole.

I started rummaging through the cabinets, surprised to find more food than last time. The bastard must have gone shopping. At least he was old for something. As I pulled out the goodies, I checked my phone, wincing when I saw thirteen missed calls from Al last night, punctuated by a text that read: CALL ME!

I quickly dialed his number, balancing my phone on one shoulder and a tower of food in my hands.

It rang and rang, but he didn't pick up.

"That's strange," I muttered.

I checked the time. It was nine-thirty. Maybe he had already accepted that teaching job and was at work. I'd try him again a little later. The colonel had certainly called Lieutenant Hawkeye to update her before...climbing into bed with me last night. Al had probably spoken to her.

Mustang came into the kitchen just as I was finishing my breakfast. At least I had an appetite.

"You know we have to talk," the colonel said,

I glanced up for a second before going back to the last bites of my sandwich. His hair was damp and he was in uniform. At least we were finally looking like ourselves again.

"About what?" I mumbled, licking the jam off my fingers.

The colonel paused. "About everything. You have to tell me what hap-"

The colonel fell silent, and I looked up. He was staring at me, his mouth slightly open.

"What?" I demanded.

Mustang shook his head. "Nothing. We just have to talk."

It was only when I started sucking the sticky substance off my thumb that I realized what had made him stare. I didn't think I could possibly turn any redder. Like I'd said, this kind of thing wouldn't happen if I was a guy-or at the very least, Mustang didn't know I was a girl.

I went to wash up, my back to the colonel. "There's nothing to talk about."

"Oh no? Care to explain what your pal Dylan meant by, "the first woman-"

"Stop!" I shouted, spinning around to face him. "Shut up! You don't know anything! That is none of your business."

"You slept with a deranged psychopath and you're telling me it's none of my business?" Mustang growled back.

"That is exactly what I'm telling you, bastard." I turned away again. "It was a long time ago and has nothing to do with you."

"Are you kidding me?" I could hear the colonel walking towards me, but I didn't turn around. I couldn't face him. "This maniac thinks you did something to him. He's after you, Fullmetal and you have to deal with that. I need to know what happened so I can help you. This lunatic is working for the scientist and will kill who knows how many more people until we catch that son of a bitch."

I didn't move, didn't speak.

The colonel lowered his voice. "Fullmetal." Still I said nothing. "Look at me, Edaline!" he suddenly cried out.

I swiveled around, suddenly angry, but he was closer than I'd realized. I took a step back, pressing up against the counter and he followed. His face was inches from mine.

"You think I don't know that this is all my fault?!" I screamed, unable to stop the tears from welling up in my eyes. "Look at the victims! They look like me! He was taunting me, playing with me! The one guy who didn't look like me was the only person I spoke to at the club! Every single one of those deaths are on my hands. I killed them." My voice lowered to a hoarse whisper. "I killed them."

Mustang slammed his hands down on the counter on either side of me, boxing me in. "Stop acting like a child; this isn't only about you. Dylan is obviously working for The Scientist; there would have been victims either way!"

"But I brought them here." My mind was slowly growing numb as the realization that this was my fault sunk in. "In all the research I did, nobody with The Scientist's MO was ever in Amestris. Don't you see? I brought him here! Dylan was searching for _me_! He brought that murderer here to hunt _me_!"

"Stop it! You always take the blame on yourself! You're always the one carrying the burden!" The colonel leaned in until I could feel the warmth of his breath on my already hot face. "You are not alone, Ed. This is not only your battle to fight."

My head was pounding so hard I couldn't think, so I didn't. I shoved the colonel-hard.

"This is my fault and you know it!" I shoved him again, pushing him back.

"Does that really matter anymore?"

His calm voice infuriated me even more. I shoved him again and again, backing him into the wall. Mustang didn't put up a fight.

"We have a killer to catch, Ed. That's what it really comes down to in the end. I need you to tell me about Dylan."

"No! I don't need you! I can get him on my own!" One tear finally slipped past my shield.

"It doesn't matters hat you want!" The colonel was angry now. "You are an alchemist of the military and you have a duty to your country!"

Before I could stop him, the colonel twisted around and shoved me back so that I was trapped against the wall.

"Let me go you, bastard!" I shouted, throwing a punch at his face.

He caught my wrist and held my hand up high above my head. I struggled, needing to lash out at someone, something. He grabbed my other wrist too and held them together. That didn't stop me. I kicked and thrashed until he was forced to press himself into me, holding me tight against the wall.

I stopped struggling and spit out, "Why can't you just leave me alone, bastard? If you hadn't mixed in on my mission-"

"Then you might be dead."

"What do you care? All you care about is rising in the ranks to become fuehrer. Would catching The Scientist finally give you the promotion you've been waiting for?"

"How _dare_ you!" The colonel's voice took on a deadly tone. "Is that really what you think of me?"

I took a deep breath, looking up at the colonel's face. He looked...hurt.

"No," I said quietly. "That's not what I think of you."

Swallowing, the colonel released his hold on me. "Then how do you think of me?"

The question threw me off guard. What was he asking? I looked into his dark, guarded eyes. Was Mustang _jealous_? I almost laughed at myself, but then I saw the way he was looking at me. Protectively. His face was shielded, but I could finally read the caring look written on it.

"How do you want me to think of you?" I challenged, taking a fistful of his shirt and shoving him up against the wall.

The colonel's mouth opened in a surprised "o", and I was reminded of the conversation in my dream.

_"What do you want, colonel?" I whispered, afraid to hear the answer, but needing to hear it all the same..._

_"What do I want, Edaline? I want you."_

Even my dreams had been telling me what I'd been too stupid and stubborn to see.

"This is how I think of you, bastard," I growled, yanking the colonel down to me and crushing my lips to his.

It was no slow, gentle kiss.

Not a second passed before the colonel's mouth moved to dominate mine. The tip of his tongue slid across my lips, seeking to gain entrance. My lips parted, just the tiniest bit, but that was enough. Mustang's expert tongue was there moving against mine, a low growl coming from deep in his throat.

Suddenly it was me who was slammed against the wall, one leg coming up to wrap itself around the colonel's strong, hard body. Tightening his fingers around me, he lifted me up, suspending me between him and the wall. I wrapped my other leg around him, completely locking myself in place, but for the first time in my life, I didn't feel trapped.

I hadn't even noticed when I'd let go of his shirt.

One of his hands roamed across my thigh, igniting my skin, even through my clothes, while the other yanked harshly through my braid, pulling it loose.

He pressed his body hard into mine, and hungry and passionately, his mouth worked against mine. Desire and heat radiated through the tangled dance of our tongues, and my automail arm clawed at his back, trying, impossibly, to draw him closer to me.

Then, the colonel pulled back, breaking the spell and shattering the moment. I stumbled away from him, swearing and trying to catch my breath. What the hell had I been thinking? He was a superior officer, years older than me!

But he had kisses me back.

And that had been some kiss...

Mustang leaned against the counter, breathing hard. I didn't know what to say. I had kissed _him_.

It must have been the rush of emotions. Yeah, that was it. No way I'd do anything so stupid otherwise.

"Ed-" Mustang began, taking a step towards me.

I hurried back, mortified, but the whole room spun, dizziness sweeping over me like a wave.

The colonel's hand shot out to steady me, and he swore. "I'm an idiot. You're still sick as hell and I didn't even realize."

My knees were so weak and the room just didn't want to stop spinning. I didn't argue-couldn't argue-as Mustang lifted me up and brought me back up to his room. The fever, the explosion last night and the kiss. They had all chipped away at me. And I'd thought I was getting better. I felt like crap, the adrenaline of the kiss fading.

"I can't stay here," I moaned, trying to get back up as he deposited me onto the bed. "Dylan..."

"Think, Ed! There's nothing for you to do now anyway! What were planning on doing? Shouting 'I'm here! Come and get me from the rooftops? In your condition you'd be dead in minutes. Right now you need to rest, and when you're strong enough to get out of that bed on your own you are going to tell me everything I need to know about Dylan!" Mustang commanded.

I laughed weakly. "So we're back to that. Fine, Roy. You win."

The last thing I thought as I drifted off into darkness was, 'Did I just call him Roy?'

Thanks for reading guys! The next chapter will most probably be back to following Roy in third person pov, but no guarantees. See ya!

-Still the most sleep deprived author in the world...


	17. Chapter 17

IIIIIIIIIIII'MMM BAAAAACK! Hey guys! So I was reading a great book and was thrilled to see that Edaline isn't the only one to have slept with a crazy killer! Yay! :P So here's the next chapter of ATU. It's only following Roy, but I think it's pretty damn good, and I'm hoping you think so as well! Enjoy...

I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or any of its characters.

_Fine, Roy. You win._

_Fine, Roy. You win._

_Fine, Roy. You win._

Roy's head was spinning as he stared down at the small, sleeping alchemist in his bed.

Roy.

The Fullmetal Alchemist had _never_ called him Roy. Ever. It was either colonel or colonel bastard or even at times Mustang. But never Roy.

Why was that the first thing on his mind? After that-

He couldn't even call it a kiss. That had been a full on sexy make out session.

Roy swallowed. Ed had kissed him. He had kissed _her_. His tongue tangling with hers, tasting the warm wetness...

"Shit," Roy swore, running his fingers through his hair. "Shit, shit, shit!"

There were so many reasons why this was forbidden. Roy felt like slamming his head into a wall. Why had he kissed her back? Was it the rush of near death? The tension from their fight? Or was it something more...

He had been furious and upset when Ed had insinuated that he was only in it for the promotion. That wasn't it at all. Roy cared about Amestris. He wanted to become fuehrer so he could better protect the people of his country. Catching this murderer would be doing just that.

_"How do you want me to think of you?"_

Ed's demanding question had shocked Roy. And when she had grabbed his shirt and slammed him against the wall, he'd been too stunned to move.

Roy let out a frustrated sigh. He couldn't think about this right now; there was work to be done. Last night his people were able to handle the clean up, but the hunt was just about to begin.

He had spoken to Lieutenant Hawkeye before collapsing into an exhausted sleep last night. She had been at the scene of the explosion along with a dozen other officers, trying to safely evacuate the building and searching through the rubble for any clues as to wear the two maniacs had disappeared to. Roy had never intended to fall sleep near Ed, but his eyes had shut against his will. Waking up to that view had been quite a shock...

Roy shook the image out of his mind. This wasn't good. Was he..._falling_ for her? Hot-headed, tomboy, Edward Elric? He had to keep a clear head today. No more thinking about Ed in that little red dress or that hot little event in the kitchen. He had to put aside the fact that she'd called him Roy. It had probably been the fever. Would she even remember anything at all when she woke up?

"Damn it!" Roy growled at himself. "I have to stop thinking about Ed and go do my job!"

Roy had to get to work.

Lieutenant Hawkeye snapped to attention as Roy walked into the room outside his office.

"I've secured a new phone for you, sir," she said immediately.

"Thank you, Lieutenant," Roy replied. "Fill me in on what's been happening with the club. Any news about our two suspects?"

"Nothing so far, sir. With nothing to go on, but two first names and what was clearly an alias for the woman's last name, the best we could do is search through old immigration papers. We finished clearing the rubble early this morning, but nothing was found. An officer did manage to find your old phone though. It's broken beyond repair of course, but you can still transfer any contacts or pictures over to your new phone."

"Is that the only good news you have for me?"

"I'm afraid so, sir. Major General Hatchet said she would be by soon to discuss further actions with you. Meanwhile you have stacks of paperwork that need to be signed in your office."

Roy groaned. "You'd think with a killer on the loose I'd be able to get away with not doing any paperwork."

The lieutenant's hand twitched towards her gun and she got a dangerous glare in her eye. "What was that, sir? I didn't quite catch that."

"I'll get started right away," Roy replied hastily.

"That's what I thought. I'll have Havoc transfer your old phone's memory over. Seeing as he has nothing better to do."

"Huh?" Havoc looked up sleepily from his desk.

"I stand corrected."

Roy went into his office and shut the door. His desk was covered in carefully stacked papers. Great. Maybe there was still time to sneak out the window and join Ed in bed.

Roy flushed. He had _not_ meant it like that. What was wrong with him? A few days ago, the Fullmetal Alchemist was just a short, blond he'd enjoyed teasing. Even after finding out she was a girl, nothing had really changed. Or had it...

_Roy snapped his fingers, shooting a blast of flames at the crazed, woman. The bitch leapt out of the way just in time, cackling in a high-pitched voice._

_"Ooh. That's a neat trick! I have some of my own!"_

_She slammed her hands down on the ground, activating a pre-drawn transmutation circle. Sharp spikes burst from the earth, aimed at Roy. He dove out of the way, seeing, out of the corner of his eye, the Fullmetal Alchemist leaping on the spikes towards the psychotic murderess. Fullmetal clapped his hands together, creating huge fists from the wall that reached down to grab the bitch._

_"You won't get away!" Fullmetal shouted, as the bitch dodged._

_The murderess they'd been after for weeks was Jasmine Sindel, an escapee from Central Psychiatric Ward. She was a skilled alchemist, which made her even more dangerous. They'd finally tracked her down in the tunnels below the city._

_"Come and get me!" she sang, racing through a back door._

_Fullmetal charged after her._

_"Wait!" Roy shouted, getting to his feet, but Fullmetal was already through the door._

_Letting out a frustrated grunt, Roy ran after them. The door led to a long hallway with another door in the far end. Roy could see Fullmetal disappearing through the door._

_"Damn it, Fullmetal! Don't just run in blind!" Roy shouted, knowing it was useless._

_He ran faster, bursting through the door. Fullmetal went flying past him backwards and slammed into the wall with a thud, letting out a sharp cry of pain._

_"Fullmetal!"_

_"In fine!" was the coughed reply. "Get this bitch!"_

_Roy darted forward, his target giggling on the other side of the room. The room was large; it had been formed in the tunnels through alchemy. It was empty, save for the many transmutation circles covering most of the earth._

_They had walked right into a trap._

_"We have to get out of here!" Roy yelled to Fullmetal._

_The blond boy struggled to his feet and limped to Roy. "No! We've come this far. Who knows if we'll be able to track Sindel again?"_

_"If we stay well be buried alive! Those transmutation circles overlap. If she activated then it'll set off a chain reaction through the whole room, taking the tunnel down in top of us!"_

_Sindel laughed, her eyes wide and crazed. "Very good, Mr. Firefly! You're going to be buried!" she said in a singsong voice. "Mr. Firefly and little Mr. Clapclap are going to be buried!"_

_"Don't call me little!" Fullmetal snapped, clapping his hands together angrily and transmuting his automail arm into a sharp point._

_He ran forward just as Sindel placed her hands on the circle at her feet. Roy leapt forward as the circle and all the others as well began to glow. He grabbed Fullmetal and yanked him back, falling through the door behind them._

_Not a second too soon._

_The doorway filled up with stone and earth and rocks, completely blocking the entrance. In seconds the room was gone._

_But Roy wasn't thinking about that. Roy was kneeling over Fullmetal, after falling in him when they jumped through the door._

_Not him. Her._

_The Fullmetal Alchemist was a girl._

_When Roy had grabbed Fullmetal around the chest to pull him through the door, Roy had felt..._

_Roy stares down at Fullmetal. Why had he never seen it before? The long hair, the slight figure, the feminine features. A girl. She was a girl._

_"Get offa me!" Fullmetal yelled, blood trickling out if the corner of her mouth. "I could have gotten to her on time! Why'd you stop me?!"_

_"You're a girl?" Roy was dumbstruck._

_Fullmetal's eyes widened. "What are you talking about, bastard! Get off!"_

_Roy rolled off, lying in his back. "The Fullmetal Alchemist is a girl."_

_Fullmetal leapt up and dug a knee into Roy's chest, the still pointed edge of her automail digging into Roy's neck. "Don't you _ever_ say that again, you bastard! You hear me!"_

_Roy looked up at her. "How did you hide it for so long?"_

_Fullmetal's arms trembled and finally she rolled off of Roy, lying near him on her back. "I just did," she whispered. "You can't-you can't tell anyone."_

_Roy closed his eyes, the adrenaline from the fight fading, and the shock of discovering Fullmetal was really a girl still ringing through him. "I won't," he promised. "I'll keep your secret, Fullmetal."_

Had finding out she was really a girl changed the way Roy felt? Was he more...protective of her now?

Roy shook his head violently. He wasn't going to start analyzing his actions since then. He was going to deal with everything calmly and rationally. After Fullmetal woke up and was feeling better they were going to have a nice long talk.

Roy stood up from his desk, paperwork untouched. He couldn't just sit here waiting for Hatchet. He walked out of his office and found Falman, Fuery, Breda and Havoc all hunched over Havoc's computer.

"That better not be porn. The Lieutenant will shoot ever one of you."

They looked up.

"Why, colonel, why?" Havoc sobbed. "Now you're stealing girls before I even meet them?"

"The hell are you talking about?" Roy asked, walking over to the desk.

Havoc turned the computer so that Roy could see. On the screen was the picture he'd taken of Ed dancing at the club that first night. Havoc must have found it while uploading his old pictures. Ed would kill him if she knew.

"When she said she already had a boyfriend I never thought it would be you! Kiara wasn't enough?" Havoc was moaning, but Roy froze.

"Kiara..." His eyes widened. "Havoc! Where did you say you met Kiara? I forgot I met her through you."

"Kiara? She's one of the owners of Supernova. She runs it with her cousin, I think."

"Owner?" Roy grinned. Finally some good news! "If she's registered as an owner she would have had to give a legitimate address when she bought the place." Roy turned to search for Hawkeye, who just so happened to have walked in then. "Lieutenant!"

"Yes, sir."

"Track down all financial records of Supernova. There has to be an address in the paperwork. We finally got the bitch."

"I take it there's been a development?"

They all turned as Major General Hatchet walked it.

"We may have a possible location on one, if not both, of the suspects in The Scientist investigation," Roy replied.

"That's good news, colonel. I expect you to get right on that. But first, may I have a word with you in your office, colonel?"

"Of course, Major General."

The two went into Roy's office and Roy shut the door. "What's this about, Major General?"

"First of all, where's the Fullmetal Alchemist, colonel? He was on point in this assignment originally."

"Fullmetal is sick," Roy replied. "He's recovering at-at home."

Hatchet frowned. "That's unfortunate. I wanted him with you when you go after The Scientist. This was his mission after all."

"Hopefully Fullmetal will be fully recovered shortly. Now on to business; you have identified The Scientist's accomplices?"

"Yes. We believe the two owners of Supernova were kidnapping The Scientist's victims, but until we find them we have nothing on him."

"Then I suggest you hurry and find them, colonel. One last thing; what is your connection to our suspects?"

"I was seeing the woman for a while, but last night at the club was the first time I heard from her in a few days. All this will be in my report, major general."

"Yes, yes. And Fullmetal? Was he connected with them in any way?"

Roy didn't hesitate for a second before expertly lying. "No. Fullmetal has no connection to the two suspects. If that's all, major general, then I'm going to go check up on him. If he's feeling better perhaps he can help with the hunt."

"Of course, colonel. You do that. Keep me informed of any developments."

Hatchet left, and Roy breathed a sigh of relief. Who knows what they would do if they found out Ed knew Dylan. That would lead to some very unpleasant questions with some very awkward answers.

Roy walked out of his office to find Havoc still pouting.

"Your phone is ready, colonel." He handed it to Roy. "Just tell me one thing-how do you manage to score all the hotties? I mean, she is too damn sexy!"

Roy suppressed a grin, imagining Ed's expression at this conversation. "Well, Havoc, all the hot ones seem to chase after _me_."

Havoc's face turned to stone as Roy walked out chuckling.

Roy set the picture of Edaline as his screensaver with a devious smirk. Everyone had already seen the picture and no one had guessed the truth, so why not have a little fun?

Roy drove home in surprisingly good spirits considering there was still a killer and his two accomplices on the loose. Hopefully, Dylan and Kiara would be in custody soon and would give up The Scientist's identity and location.

Roy parked in front of his house and got out of the car just as his phone rang. It was Lieutenant Hawkeye.

"Tell me there's good news, Lieutenant."

"Negative, sir. The place was empty when we got here. It seems to have been scrubbed clean, but there are traces of alchemy all over."

"Hm. Let me know if anything else comes up."

"There is one thing, sir."

"Yes?"

"The furniture seems to be made of a strange metal. State alchemist Brinkler-the Wooden Alchemist-is here on scene and can not identify it. We're going to have it sent to the labs."

"Strange metal..."

"Yes. Do you know anything about it?"

"Huh? No, no. Good work, lieutenant."

Roy hung up. What was that metal? Was it the same kind that had made up the bed in the motel and the handcuffs? When Roy had returned to the motel later that day, they had been cleared out as if they'd never been there. What the hell was going on?

It was time to have a real talk with Ed. Roy walked in and headed straight upstairs. He went into his bedroom to find Ed still fast asleep in his bed. The blond's hair was splayed out on Roy's pillow, and the covers were crumpled at the bottom of the bed revealing Ed's uncovered stomach.

Roy smiled fondly. Some things would never change. He wouldn't wake Ed up-not with her being sick, so he would wait for her to wake up. He pulled the covers up over Ed's bare midriff and gently placed his hand on her forehead. She was warm, but the fever seemed to be gone. That was good.

Unable to help himself, Roy trailed his hand down Ed's cheek. She didn't stir. Her soft skin made his fingers tingle. Reluctantly, Roy pulled away and settled on the chair by his desk to wait. As he glanced over one more time at the small figure in his bed, he had to wonder; what the hell was happening to him?


	18. Chapter 18

Why won't you people review anymore? ;( ;( ;(

Don't you know I look forward to your reviews just as much as you look forward to the next chapter? Huff. Well. I guess that means I shouldn't update as often... :}

I also realize now why this story isn't as smutty as I intended it to be...I know a friend of mine is reading it... :/ it's a bit different when you're writing anonymously.

So I was going to publish last Thursday, but then my awesome friend got engaged! So, sorry for the wait! Enjoy!

Author's note: I think I should note here that the people in Amestris in my story speak English. Fullmetal Alchemist is originally based off of Germany so I thought I should mention that here. (They speak Spanish in Mexello :P) Also anything written in Spanish is translated online. I do not speak the language so don't blame me for any mistakes...

I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or its characters.

_I was outside the colonel's office. The place was empty. Empty and quite. The colonel's door was closed. I took a slow step towards it, my pulse thudding in my ears. I reached out and turned the handle, pushing the door in silently. The light was off, but I could see the colonel standing at the window, his back to me. He didn't turn around as I walked up to him._

_I reached out and placed my automail hand on his arm. "Why are you here so late?"_

_"I was waiting for you, Edaline."_

_The voice was not the colonel's._

_I tightened my grip on his arm and tugged him around. I flinched and fell backwards into the floor when I saw who it was._

_"Dylan!" I gasped, scrambling back. "What did you do to the colonel?!"_

_Dylan's mouth twisted into a cruel resemblance of a smile. "Don't you remember, Edaline? He's dead. They all are."_

_Suddenly the lights turned on, blinding me. I squinted at the sudden brightness._

_"No!" I breathed in horror, now able to see what the darkness had concealed._

_This wasn't the colonel's office. It was a lab. Strapped to surgical beds all around me was my greatest fear. The colonel, Al, Winry, Lieutenant Hawkeye, Havoc, Breda, and everyone else I cared about, lying there dead. Their eyes wide open, glaring at me; accusing me._

_"You did this," Dylan said, leaning over me. His hands and face were covered with their blood. "This is your fault, Edaline. Your fault."_

_"No!" I yelled, closing my eyes. "I didn't do this!"_

_"Yes you did! Look at them!" he screamed. "Look at them!"_

_My eyes opened against my will, but the beds were gone. I was in my old house; the one I'd burnt down years ago._

_"Everyone you know dies," Dylan mocked me._

_I turned to face him, but instead found myself looking at-_

_That creature. The thing Al and I created when we tried to bring our mom back._

_"Even your mom died and you couldn't bring her back." Dylan's voice echoed I my ears._

_"Shut up!" I shrieked, my hands covering my ears, my eyes squeezed shut. "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!"_

"Ed! Ed wake up! You're having a nightmare."

My eyes flew open.

Someone was leaning over me, shaking me frantically. I panicked, my dream still fogging my mind. I grabbed them, flipping them onto their back with my automail hand wrapped around their throat.

"Well I see you're feeling better at least," the colonel choked out.

"Colonel?" I blinked, releasing his throat.

He gulped in a breath. "Are you okay? You were shouting and thrashing around. I figured I should wake you before you hurt yourself."

"I'm fine," I muttered.

At least it wasn't another sexy dream about the colonel.

"You don't look fine," Mustang said reaching up and wiping at my cheek.

I flinched. "The hell are you doing?" I demanded.

"You're crying, Ed."

"What?"

I reached up and rubbed my eyes. My hand came away wet. "Damn it. It's nothing. I'm fine. Stupid dream."

I quickly brushed away the rest of the tears.

"Great. If you're fine then do you mind getting off me? We have a lot to talk about."

My face burned as I realized I was straddling the colonel's chest. I leapt off him so fast, I may have actually flew a few feet.

The colonel sat up, leaning on one elbow. "I take it you're feeling better? That was quick."

"I heal quickly."

Mustang's eyes roamed over me, as if he was analyzing me. "Are you ready to talk now?"

"About...?" I asked cautiously, my eyes narrowing slightly.

My face turned a shade redder as I recalled what I'd done in the kitchen. Surprisingly, I found that I didn't regret it.

Mustang raised an eyebrow. "You tell me."

"Let's go downstairs," I said, avoiding his gaze. "I need something to eat."

"Fine. Then we talk."

I led the way to the kitchen and settled at the table with a pile of goodies. Mustang sat across from me, not saying anything at first.

Finally he asked, "Well?"

I figured I start with the easier of the two. "Dylan. We met back when I was traveling through Mexello."

The colonel listened attentively, and as I spoke, all the memories locked away came flooding back...

_"Thanks for the ride, pops," I said as I climbed out of the old, broken-down car._

_The old man smiled at me, uncomprehending. I sighed. Pity I didn't speak the language here. There had to be someone around who spoke English._

_I walked up to a small food stand outside a shop to get some lunch. The girl behind the counter spoke a broken English._

_"We give best price!" She nodded enthusiastically._

_"Alright; I'll have three of those over there," I said pointing._

_She gave them to meet and I scarfed them down._

_"These are pretty go-" My eyes watered as the heat flared up in my mouth. "Hot, hot, hot!"_

_When my mouth was no longer on fire and the girl behind the counter had stopped laughing at me I started to walk away, but then I turned back._

_"Say, you wouldn't happen to know any inns around here?"_

_"Inns?" The girl shook her head, not understanding._

_"You know, a place where I can sleep tonight." I mimed sleeping._

_"Oh!" Her eyes lit up. "Yes, yes! I know good place for you to be sleeping."_

_She turned and shouted over her shoulder into the shop in Spanish. A woman replied and the girl shouted back insistently._

_She turned back to me and smiled. "One minute."_

_A beautiful, dark woman came out of the shop wiping her hands on an apron. She smiled at me wearily._

_"Hello. My daughter Mia tells me that you need someplace to sleep for the night," she said in perfect English, save for a slight accent._

_"Yes, ma'am. I'm just traveling through."_

_"Where are you headed..."_

_"Edward. Edward Elric," I filled in. "But everyone calls me Ed."_

_"Where are you headed, Ed?"_

_"I'm passing through on my way to Xing."_

_"Xing?" She looked doubtful. "You are from Amestris, yes? Mexello is very much out of the way."_

_"Yeah, I had to take a little detour on the way. But how did you know I'm from Amestris?"_

_She laughed. "Your accent is unmistakable. I lived there for a few years when I was a teenager. That is where I learned to speak your language."_

_"Oh. I'm sorry if I'm being rude, but I really am tired from traveling. Do you know of any place I could stay the night? I have money."_

_"Yes, yes. Do not worry about that. My family lives above our store. We have an extra room we rent out sometimes. You are welcome to it. Come, let me show you."_

_"Thank you so much!" I didn't think finding a place would be this easy._

_"My name is Gabriela Valencia," she said as we walked into the store. She pointed to a man chopping vegetables behind the counter with a teenaged boy. "That is my husband Diego and my son Sebastian."_

_"You have a pretty small family," I said. "I noticed a lot of people around here have tons of kids."_

_Al would probably be kicking me now for being so rude, but Mrs. Valencia smiled._

_"That is true. I have another daughter Isabella, but she is...out now with her friends. Come." She led the way upstairs. Here is the washroom. You can clean up from your travels." She opened a door down the hall. "You will sleep here tonight. It is a bit small, but you won't find better anywhere else."_

_"It's perfect," I said. "Thank you so much, Mrs. Valencia."_

_"Tch!" She waved her hand. "It is no bother. But please, call me Gabriela."_

_"Okay, Gabriela it is."_

_"When you are clean and rested you can come get something to eat. A growing boy needs good food."_

_She left, and I cleaned and went to sleep. The traveling and the time difference was messing with my sleep schedule. Staying in the jungle for a few days didn't help much either._

_I awoke just as the sun set to the sound of sobbing and shouts from downstairs. I bolted upright, pulling on my coat and hurried downstairs. Gabriela and Mia were crying into each other's shoulders while Diego and Sebastian were yelling at each other in rapid Spanish._

_"What's going on?" I asked, not sure if I should butt into their family business._

_Mia looked up at me, tears in her eyes. "They take Isabella."_

_"Who? Who took Isabella?"_

_"Bad people. _El Diablo_. They take pretty girls and-" She broke down in tears again._

_"Someone kidnapped your sister?" I felt a familiar burning in my gut, one I hadn't felt since leaving Amestris. "You have to tell me who-I can help."_

_Diego stopped his shouting to throw me an angry glare. "Usted no puede ayudar! Esos monstruos se la llevó y nunca la veremos otra vez! No sabes lo que hacen a las chicas como Isabella. Se le toman y venderla en un país diferente."_

_"I'm sorry-I don't understand." I looked at Mia helplessly, but it was her mother who answered._

_"He says you can't help her. They will sell her on the black market like all the girls before her and we will never see our daughter again!" She started sobbing again, harder than before._

_Sebastian started yelling again in Spanish. He sounded angry at them. He probably wanted to try and find her. I walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. He pulled away angrily, but I firmly put it back and turned him to face me._

_"Do you speak English?" I asked him._

_He calmed down just enough to answer. "Little." His chest heaved up and down._

_"Listen very carefully then," I said looking into his dark brown eyes. "My name is Edward Elric and where I come from I'm an alchemist with the military."_

_His face scrunched up as he tried to understand, but Gabriela heard what I said. She stopped crying and hurried over to me._

_"What did you say?" She took my hands, a trickle of hope shining in her eyes._

_"I'm a state alchemist in Amestris. I can help you find your daughter. You have to trust me and tell me everything you know."_

_"I have heard of the state alchemists. People said you can do the impossible. Can you really being my Isabella back?"_

_"I promise you I will find her and bring her home."_

_"Thank you," Gabriela whispered._

_"Don't thank me yet. I need to know what happened. How do you know she was taken?"_

_"One of Isabella's friends saw a bad man grab her and put her in a van." Gabriela sniffled. "My Isabella is a good girl, but lately she has not been doing good things. She stays out very late with bad people and goes to bad places."_

_"The man who took her. El Diablo, you called him?"_

_"No. The man who took him works for a terrible person. We call him El Diablo-the devil-because that is who he is really. I do not know his name. He is a very powerful and rich man because he gets his money by selling drugs and women overseas."_

_"I'm going to find him. I'm going to put a stop to all this and bring your daughter home. I'll need to find out who he is first. Do you know where your daughter was when she was taken?"_

_Gabriela started to shake her head, but Mia broke in. "She said she go to Diente de tiburón. [AN: this should say The Shark's Tooth] It is bar in bad place. Lot of girls get taken there. I tell you how to go there."_

_Diego said something to Mia in Spanish and she replied in a mad tone._

_"It's okay. I can find it in my own. There's something I have to do first."_

"It was Dylan's uncle who was taking the girls?" Mustang broke in.

"Shut up and listen, bastard! I'm trying to remember everything about my time in Mexello. Maybe I'll remember something important."

Mustang held up his hands in defense. "Sorry, sorry. Go on."

I glared at him.

Sorry guys! I'm going to end this chapter here even though I'd rather finish the flashback first. I just want to publish it already and I'm not sure when I'm going to if I don't do it now. There was only supposed to be two more chapters after this...oh well...we'll see.

So I'm not sure when I'll be able to update next, but I hope it won't be too long. Keep a hopeful eye on the horizon!

-Finally not the most sleep deprived author in the world. See ya!


	19. Chapter 19

This chapter is a direct continuation of the last. Pretend they are one long chapter.

Also, I have absolutely no experience with Mexico or Spanish so I apologize if I am not doing this parallel version of it justice. This is all stuff I've picked up from books and movies. Needless to say, the movies I watch usually involve lots of people shooting at each other so...yeah.

I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or any of its characters.

"Now that I have your _permission_," I grumbled, wanting to just get it all out.

Mustang only raised an eyebrow.

"Before I went to the bar, I...I went to dress as a girl. I figured people would be more open to talk to me like that. And I had another promise to keep."

"Another promise?" Mustang asked puzzled.

I was quiet. "That's a story for another time."

"I'll hold you to that, Ed. By the way, where exactly in Mexello were you? It's a large country."

"C_iudad al Atardecer. _I was just passing through."

Mustang looked taken aback. "Weren't you on your way to Xing back then? It's completely out of the way."

"I was in the area." That was all I was going to say on the subject. "Now where was I?"

Mustang looked at me hard, but let it go. "You were dressing as a girl."

I flipped him the finger. "Thank you for your help."

_With my hair down, wearing a dressier pair of women's tight leather pants that I'd purchased in a shady looking shop and an airy, red wrap in place of my tank top and jacket, I headed to the darker side of Ciudad al Atardecer. The heat was stifling as I made my way through the twisted streets. I found the bar with little trouble and walked in. I could tell right away what kind of crowd it catered to._

_Drugged up teenagers and perverted old drunks were all crammed together in a smoke-filled dim room. No one looked twice as I walked up to the bar._

_"¿Qué te puedo?" the bartender, a tall, good-looking guy, asked._

_I understood a few Spanish words, but couldn't speak it to save my life. "Do you speak English?"_

_"Sí, señora. I do. What would you like to drink?"_

_"What do you have that's good? Nothing with alcohol."_

_"I have a perfect drink for you, __señora." He started mixing my drink. " So w__here are you from?"_

_"Where do you think I'm from?" I replied, trying to get him comfortable talking to me._

_"If I had to take a guess, bella dama, I'd say your blond hair and light skin give you away. You are from Amestris, sì?"_

_I smiled a wide, fake smile. What an idiot. Why ask if you already knew? "Sì, _señor...?"

_"Call me Fernando."_

_"Okay, Fernando. I'm E-Edaline." I was proud that I'd only stumbled on the name a bit._

_"Here, Edaline. Your drink is ready."_

_He handed me a tall glass filled with a thick, red drink and looked at me expectantly. "Go on. Try it-I promise you'll like it."_

_I looked at the drink suspiciously, but took a sip._

_My eyes widened as a fruity flavor burst onto my tastebuds. "This is really good! What is it?"_

_Fernando laughed. "It is my specialty. pasión y el amor. Passion and love. It has many of our fruits in it. This one is on the house, as you Amestrians say._

_I couldn't believe I was drinking something with a name as ridiculous as that, but it tasted great so I couldn't really bring myself to care very much._

_"You are here visiting someone, Edaline, or just for pleasure?"_

_"Just passing through. I figured I could enjoy myself along the way."_

_"You definitely came to the right country for that!" Fernando grinned, a dimple creasing his tan skin._

_"I've been hearing some things though," I said lowering my voice, letting a hint of worry into my words. "About girls being taken from bars like this."_

_Fernando grew uncomfortable. "No, no, Edaline. You must be mistaken. I have to go help the other customers now."_

_"Wait, Fernando." I decided to just get straight to the point. "A friend of mine; she was taken. By the man they call el Diablo."_

_"I cannot help you, Edaline," Fernando said nervously, looking around. "_Adiós."

_"Wait!" I reached across the bar top and grabbed his arm._

_He seemed surprised by my strength. "I said I cannot help you, Edaline. If you know what is good for you, you will stay away from Romero Lopez."_

_"So you do know who I'm talking about! Where can I find this son of a bitch?"_

_"No! I will not help you kill yourself. Lopez is a very bad man, but he is very careful and very powerful. If he has your friend then you will never see her again."_

_"I don't believe that, Fernando. I _will_ get Isabella back, with or without your help!"_

_Fernando's face turned white. "Isabella? Isabella Valencia? __¡ Dios mío!"_

_"You know her."_

_"Sì. She comes here almost every night. The people she comes with are the same type as the ones here, but I knew she was different right away."_

_"You have to help me save her. Her sister said girls get taken from here all the time and no one does anything about it. You can't turn a blind eye anymore, Fernando. I need your help."_

_Fernando swallowed hard and leaned across the counter. "Sì, Edaline. I will help you. Do you see the pictures hanging behind me?"_

_I nodded, subtly glancing them over._

_"The picture in the top right corner is of three men and a woman, sì? It is a few years old, but the man on the left is Romero Lopez, the one they call the devil."_

_I squinted at the picture. Lopez was nothing special to look at, but these type usually weren't. He was average height, pretty fit and had a gold tooth._

_"That boy over there," Fernando nudged his chin to a corner of the room where a group of four guys were laughing and drinking. "The one wearing the red shirt. That is Dylan Lopez, Romero Lopez's nephew. He will know where to find him. He speaks English very good."_

_"Dylan works with his uncle?"_

_"No. He has no parents. Lopez took him in when he was very young, but he is not involved with his uncle's...business."_

_"But he's gotta know what his uncle is up to."_

_Fernando snorted. "Of course. There is not a single person who doesn't know."_

_"Then why don't the authorities do something!"_

_"I don't know what it is like where you come from, but here, Edaline, if you have money you are untouchable. Unless they catch him in the act of doing something wrong no one is willing to lose their bribes."_

_"So the only way to get this guy is to catch him redhanded, huh?" That I could work with. "If Lopez is arrested how will that help me find Isabella?"_

_"Lopez is a very careful man. He does not trust anyone but him to have all the information of his organization. If he is arrested no one under him will know enough about his operation to be able to take over. He didn't want anyone to be able to overthrow him._

_"If you get Lopez arrested, his whole organization comes crashing to the ground. I am positive the police know where Lopez puts the girls before he transports them overseas, but they won't risk their fat payoff and their lives save a bunch of party, drug-users. They pretend to know nothing. But if Lopez goes down, they'll want to make it a big catch. They'll raid all his warehouses and ships."_

_"You're telling me the police know where those girls are and are allowing them to get sold!?" I was burning with anger._

_"Sì. That is just how it is," Fernando said sadly. "Do not get yourself killed, or worse; taken. I wish you much luck, Edaline."_

"What?"

Mustang had been staring at me, openmouthed, for the passed five minutes, and it was getting on my nerves.

Mustang raised both eyebrows. "You said you didn't know it was Dylan's uncle when you approached him."

"Technically, he approached me, but we're about to get to that."

"Ed."

I sighed impatiently. "So I lied! I've gotten much better at it recently. I wasn't exactly going to tell the crazy guy with a grudge and the bitch with two live grenades that Dylan was right. I set the whole thing up. I knew who he was and I used him to get to his uncle."

Mustang was quiet for a minute and then said, "It's probably best that we stick to that little lie."

"You think?" I replied sarcastically.

_I didn't approach Dylan's table right away. Better to let him approach me. The other guys with him were rowdy and drunk, laughing loudly and obnoxiously, but he looked annoyed with them and ready to leave. I could work with that._

_I sipped at my drink, trying to catch one of the other guys' attention. Finally the short, muscular one caught my eye and with a predatory grin, he sauntered over, drink in one hand. The other three following after him. He walked up to where I was sitting and slid into the stool next to mine, leaning into me, far too close for comfort. I had to consciously stop myself from punching him in the face. He reeked of alcohol and cigarettes._

_"_¿Y quién eres tú, perra sexy?" he _said leering at me._

_"Excuse me?" I raised an eyebrow._

_Dylan said something to him through clenched teeth, but the disgusting drunk just waved him off. Dylan tried to grab his arm and pull him away, but the drink his friend was holding sloshed out of the cup and onto my red wrap._

_I leaped to my feet pretending to be outraged. __"What the hell!"_

_"I am very sorry," Dylan told me apologetically._

_I shot him a dirty look and stormed out._

_One...two...thr-_

_"Wait, __señora!" came a voice from behind._

_I allowed myself a triumphant grin before turning around. "What, you came to spill another drink on me?"_

_"I am very sorry about that. I did not mean for that to happen."_

_"Whatever." I started to walk away._

_"Wait! Please, allow me to buy you a drink to apologize."_

_"You're crazy if you think I'm going back in there."_

_Dylan smiled. "This is Mexello. There are more bars here than houses. I know a small one not far from here."_

_I pretended to think about it and then said, "Do they have drinks as good as __pasión y el amor?"_

_Dylan's mouth curled into a charming, boyish smile. "Is that a yes, señora?"_

_"I don't even know your name," I lied._

_"Oh! Lo siento. I am sorry. I am Dylan Lopez. And you are...?" He stuck out his hand to shake._

_I hesitated, making it seem like I wasn't sure if I could trust him, and then I took his hand. "Edaline."_

_"Nice to meet you, Edaline. Come. I am very sorry about your shirt."_

_"Don't be. It's not something I normally wear anyways."_

_"That bar is not a very good one; you won't be missing much," __Dylan said as he led the way to the other bar. "If I may say, you do not seem like you fit in with such a rough crowd of people."_

_"I can say the same thing about you," I redirected._

_Dylan smiled and I found myself grinning back. As soon as we turned the corner I could see it was a better neighborhood. It was quieter, and there was a calmer feeling in the air. __We reached the second bar quickly. __The sign out front read, E_l Martillo Roto.

_When we were seated at a table with drinks in front of us I asked, "Where did you learn to speak English so well?"_

_Dylan took a sip of his drink. "My parents died when I was very young. I live with my uncle now. He made sure I got a very good education."_

_"That was good of your uncle to take you in like that."_

_"We are family," Dylan said simply._

_"My parents are dead too." I didn't see the harm in telling him a little about me. It would make him trust me. "My dad left my family and then my mom died. He's dead now too." I took a gulp of my fruit drink._

_"That is terrible, Edaline. Is that why you are here? Do you have friends in Mexello?"_

_"Nothing like that. I'm on my way to Xing. I'm not staying here long."_

_"That is truly a shame," Dylan said smiling at me._

_"So tell me about yourself, Dylan. Do you have any siblings?"_

_"No. I am an only child, but my uncle has a daughter. You?"_

_"Yeah, I got a younger brother Alphonse. Al and I are real close."_

_"That is good to hear. Family must always stick together and protect one another."_

_"Yeah," I laughed. "Al is definitely overprotective. He wouldn't talk to me for a week when I told him I wasn't leaving the military."_

_Damn. I hadn't meant to let that slip._

_"You are in the military back home?" Dylan sounded surprised and maybe a little impressed._

_"Yeah, but I'm on leave now for a few months. I practically had to shoot that bastard Mustang to let me off for so long." I saw the confused look on Dylan's face and added, " Colonel Mustang is my supervising officer. Well, he was, but when I get back their switching me to a different department."_

_"Ah. It is very noble of you to serve your country like that. One day I hope to do the same."_

"The guy you met at the bar doesn't seem like the same crazy Dylan we met at Supernova," Mustang broke in.

"He's not. He's had years of anger blackening his soul. The Dylan you met is a monster, and I'm going to nail the bastard!"

"I don't believe you've gotten to that part of the story yet," Mustang said, his lips twitching. "But I'm positive you'll come out on top.

"Screw you!" I yelled, turning red.

The colonel smirked. "I'm sure you'd love to."

I cringed, suddenly remembering the next unpleasant conversation. "Go to hell, you bastard!"

Mustang's smirk fell away and he grew quiet. "You know we're going to have to talk about it."

"What's to talk about?" I mumbled, looking down.

"Ed."

I looked up.

Mustang ran his fingers through his hair in distress. "Even if I wasn't your superior officer, Ed, I'm _years_ older than you. It shouldn't have happened."

I furrowed my brow. "First of all, I don't work under you so that shouldn't matter, and second of all, I lied about being a girl, don't you think I would have lied about my age too? I'm not nineteen."

Mustang stared at me. "Then just how old _are_ you?"

"I turned twenty-one last month," I muttered.

To my surprise, Mustang laughed. "You really are short for your age!"

"Don't call me short!" I yelled.

Mustang held up his hands defensively. "Don't bite my head off, Ed." He sighed. "But seriously; what happened before can't happen again."

For some reason, him saying that made me mad. He had kissed me back before. I wasn't just mad; I was furious. And when I get angry I get even more impulsive than usual.

I reached across the the table and grabbed the front of the colonel's shirt in my fist. I pulled him to me and crushed my lips against his. The colonel froze against me, but then he was shoving the small, round table out if the way, and I found myself being pulled into his lap, my legs on either side of him. His teeth nipped at my lower lip, his tongue seeking access, but this time I was in control. My hand found the back of his head, and my fingers tangled in his thick, dark hair. Finally, I parted my lips, allowing the colonel's wet, hot tongue in.

And then I pulled away.

I pushed myself off the colonel's lap, both of us breathing hard. "You see, colonel?" I gasped out. "You want this as much as I do."

Had I just admitted _out loud _that I wanted him?

Before the colonel could say a word my phone vibrated. I turned away from Mustang, my face sweaty and flushed. The caller I.D. said it was Al.

"Finally!" I muttered. "Al, where have you been? I tried calling you-"

"Alphonse is currently unavailable," came a familiar, cold voice.

"Dylan," I hissed. Out if the corner of my eye, I saw Mustang standing up in alarm. "What've you done with Al! I'll kill you, you bastard! Don't you touch him!"

"I told you The Scientist had a special present for you, Edaline. Alphonse here is just fine for now. You want him? Come and get him before The Scientist goes to work."

There was a click and the phone went dead.

Hee hee! We're almost done!

So thanks for reading! Haha :) I packed a ton of innuendos into so few sentences...I couldn't resist. If you guys want me to write the end of what happened in Mexello let me know in your reviews-I don't care either way.

Now that I have a permanent morning job I'm definitely going to be sleep deprived...oh well... ;( See ya!

-Tired, but not dead...


	20. Chapter 20

I know...I know...it's been a while, but come on, people! All my shows have started up again! Gimme some credit for doing this chapter at least :P Also, I would have published like two hours ago, but I was waiting for my friend to read it so I could correct any major mistakes...

Waiting for your reviews!

I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or any of its characters.

"Ed, you have to calm down," the colonel was saying.

But I was too far gone to listen. It was one thing to come after me, but to go after Al?! I'd kill the bastard.

"I have to go." I headed for the door, but the colonel grabbed me, pulling me back.

"Go where?" he asked, turning me to face him. "Do you have any idea where they are? No? You can't go wandering the streets hoping to find them."

"They have Al! Let go of me!"

"No!" Mustang yelled. "Think. Where could they have taken him?"

"They can't be anywhere near the club-there's got to be officers all over the place."

"And while you were sleeping I wasn't just sitting on my hands. We managed to locate where they've been living, but the only thing we were able to find was a strange metal. Sound familiar?"

"You think it's the same metal as from the motel?" I calmed down long enough to think clearly.

"I'm positive it is."

"The Scientist would need a lab and tools to do the perverse alchemy that he does. Major Tripson said The Scientist uses alchemy to test the limits of pain, so assuming his victims are awake during the procedures, he would need a soundproof room. That room in the motel wouldn't cut it."

"The bed and handcuffs were gone when I went back anyway. I was stupid not to take a pair of the cuffs with me when I left, but then again, I had other things in my mind at the time."

A thought flicked across my mind. "The motel doesn't happen to have a basement by any chance, does it?"

The colonel grinned triumphantly. "I do believe it does."

I didn't wait a second longer before rushing for the door.

"Wait, Ed!"

"I'm not waiting for backup, colonel! That bastard has my brother!"

"That's not it. It'll be faster if I drive."

Mustang drive us there in record time, and I leapt out of the car before it had come to a complete stop. I could hear the colonel calling for me to wait, but I didn't slow down.

I burst through the front door of the motel. Where the hell was the entrance to basement?

"This way, Fullmetal Alchemist."

I flinched and spun around to see Kiara standing near an open door. Her words were slightly garbled from not being able to hear herself.

Before I could do anything, she disappeared through the door. I ran to follow, almost tumbling down the long set of stairs in the process. It was dark. Barely any light penetrated down the steps, and I couldn't make out Kiara.

I was, without a doubt, walking into a trap. But this was Al. And so I walked down the stairs without a second thought.

The stairs ended at the foot of a short, damp hallway, covered in mold and other unidentifiable organisms. The air was sticky and wet, but I paid it no attention as I raced through to the door at the other end of the hall. By the time I was on the other side, my clothing and hair were damp. I turned the handle, shoved the door open and walked into the room.

It took my eyes a minute to adjust to the bright lights. When they did, my heart leaped to my throat.

The room looked like it had once been used for storage, but had been turned into a laboratory from hell. The floor was covered in dark stains that was almost certainly blood or other body fluids. There were containers of body parts in liquids lining the shelves against the wall, and in the center of it all was a long metal table with hand and foot shackles built in. Blindfolded and strapped to the table was Al.

"Al!" I rushed forward, but stopped when I caught sight of Dylan.

He had a long sharp scalpel pressed against the side of Al's throat.

"Brother?" Al called out, his voice trembling.

"Don't worry, Al! I'm going to get you out of this."

Dylan laughed. "And how are you going to do that?" He nodded at someone behind me, and Kiara stepped out of the shadows.

"Kiara is going to cuff your hands together and if you don't want to see your precious little brother die now you're going to let her."

I growled at him through gritted teeth. Where was Mustang when you needed him?

Kiara cuffed my hands using the same strange metal I couldn't identify. She shoved me to the wall and hooked my arms high above my head, forcing me to stand as tall as I could to prevent my arms from being pulled out of their sockets.

Dylan walked up to me, a crazed grin on his lips, but all I could think about was Al.

Dylan pressed the scalpel against my cheek. "I've been waiting for this a long time, Edaline." He pressed harder, drawing blood, and I winced, but then he took his hand away abruptly.

"You bastard! How could you do this? Why would you work with a monster like The Scientist?"

Dylan laughed again. "Work with? I guess you aren't as smart as I gave you credit for. I _am_ The Scientist, little girl!"

I snorted. Must keep him talking. "The Scientist has been killing for years. You aren't old enough to be him. Their are records of his killings up to seventeen years ago."

"I see you've done your research, Edaline. You're right; I wasn't always The Scientist. My uncle was."

My mouth gaped open. "Your uncle, Romero Lopez? The same guy I had arrested in Mexello?"

"_Sì."_

"Then I did a better public service than I thought."

Kiara snarled at me, but Dylan held up a hand.

"My uncle was The Scientist. He wasn't looking for ways to hurt people. He was searching for a medical breakthrough. He was trying to find the cures to the many illnesses that ravage our country. His methods were...different...but he was making progress! Until you came along."

"Your crazy," I said simply. "If you actually believe that crap than you're not only crazy now, you always were. You _knew_ your uncle was killing people-torturing them-and you think he was doing a good thing?!"

"He was! My parents were killed by a decease so rare most people haven't even heard of it! But my uncle, was looking for the cure! And then you had him locked up."

"He was torturing innocent people!"

Dylan's face twisted into a cruel grimace. "After he was sent to prison I decided to take on his name, but my intentions are not as pure as his were. I was looking for you.

"I tracked you to Arugi, after you left Mexello. I was there for three months before I realized you had already moved on Xing. Xing is a big country; I knew I would never find you there. Of course, then I hadn't known that you normally dressed as a boy. I killed seventeen woman in Arugi who all looked like you, trying to draw you out.

"After the trail went cold, I applied for a visa to come to Amestris. I knew you'd eventually come home. The visa finally came through a few months ago, and I was able to travel here with Kiara and began my search for you. You told me you were in the military, but I was looking for Edaline, and she doesn't exist. There were no female officers with an automail arm either.

"After weeks of asking around I came across the name of a certain colonel that sounded familiar. That night you wouldn't shut up about what a bastard Colonel Mustang was. I could see how much you cared about him, even if you didn't realize it."

"You don't know what you're talking about, asshole!"

Dylan smirked. "It was Kiara's idea to buy the club as our base. Plenty of fresh meat to lure you in. After I found Mustang, I had Kiara plant herself in his life. His reputation for being a womanizer precedes him. All it took was an introduction from that captain-what was his name, Kiara?"

She shrugged coldly. "I forget."

My blood boiled.

"Doesn't matter," Dylan continued. "As I was saying, after Kiara hooked your colonel it was only a matter of time before we got the answers we needed. Imagine my surprise when I found out that you were the famous Fullmetal Alchemist, who can transmute with out a circle. The one I'd heard so many stories about since coming to Amestris. Did you like my message to you? The pocket watches in that man's eyes? The one you were with."

"Screw you," I snarled.

"Everything about you that night was a lie, wasn't it? You're a born liar, Edaline. A girl pretending to be a boy-you lie to everyone, even yourself."

"Shut up!"

Dylan reached up and ripped my hair out of the braid I'd redone on the way here causing me to flinch.

"That's better. I can still see Edaline in you."

"That's funny," I spit out. "Because I can't see Dylan in you. Didn't you tell me you wanted to join your military? Help your country? Where is that Dylan? Did he ever exist? Where's the Dylan who ran after me at the bar to apologize?"

"You're right, Edaline. That Dylan is not here anymore. When I had your little colonel all tied up, it was so tempting to use him to make you suffer, but from what you told me, nothing would hurt you more than if I were to kill your little brother. That's why I had to take him. By the time you were at the club, he was already down here. I was waiting for you. Now we can begin."

"I'm sorry," said the colonel, "but your hostage seems to be gone."

I grinned at the colonel and kicked Dylan in the chest, still dangling from the hook on the wall.

The colonel and I had planned it all out before we arrived. We knew they were holding Al hostage; I wasn't stupid enough to barge in with no plan and hope to get him out with no problems. The colonel agreed, though reluctantly, that I would go on and keep the two psychos busy while he got Al out. As long as I kept Dylan talking he would have no problem. Now we could kick their asses without having to worry about Al. Al could handle himself in a fight, but who knew what condition he was in.

The colonel was wearing his gloves, which had miraculously stayed dry through the hallway, and without a second thought, he snapped his fingers, a burst of fire blasting at Dylan and Kiara.

And me.

"Damn it!" I yelped, straining to lift my feet out of the way. "Watch where you fire, bastard!"

Dylan and Kiara jumped out of the way.

"It's not my fault you got yourself all tied up," Mustang said, firing off another few controlled blasts.

"Just get me down from here!"

He paused long enough to shoot a burst of fire at the wooden hook and it turned to ash. I flexed my arms out in front of me as the blood rushed back in.

"You might as well give up, Dylan, Kiara," Mustang yelled. "I've called for back up and they'll be here any minute. This either ends with you in prison or dead."

"There's a third option here, Mustang," Dylan grinned as he dodged another blast of fire. "Go on Kiara. Show them what you can do."

Kiara clapped her hands together and pressed them against the wall. Spikes shot out of the wall at the colonel, forcing him to stop his assault and roll away.

"What the hell?" I muttered, pausing in my attempts to break free of my handcuffs.

"That's right, _Fullmetal_. You aren't the only one who's seen the Truth. My uncle, Kiara's father, died in that prison you sent him to. Kiara tried to bring him back and lost her hearing for her sin of not listening to reason, but she came out of her experience with something greater. You told me you lost your arm during the war-that's not true is it, Edaline? You tried to bring someone back too. Your mother? Your father? Who was it, Fullmetal?"

"Shut up!" I screamed lunging at him.

"Wait, Ed!" Mustang yelled. "He's goading you! Don't listen to him."

I clapped my hands together as best I could while handcuffed and placed them on the floor. A fist jutted out of the ground, punching at Dylan. He dodged, but I was close enough to him to leap up and kick him in his stomach. The kick missed by an inch as he dodged and threw a punch at my face. I caught his hand with the chains in my cuffs and kneed him in the thigh. I was aiming a but more center, but a hit was a hit.

I could see Mustang fighting Kiara out of the corner of my eye. She was good, but he was better and clearly winning. I could hear voices from outside the door. Backup had finally arrived.

Apparently Dylan realized this too because his fighting became more frantic and predictable. I kicked him again in the stomach, dodging an elbow to the face. He lost his balance and fell backwards, smacking into the wall.

The door behind me burst open and armed officers rushed in, creating a perimeter around the room. They were led by Leutanant Hawkeye and Captain Havoc. The commotion distracted Kiara long enough for the colonel to get off one good blast, throwing Kiara back.

"It's over, Dylan," I said. "Was this really all worth it?"

"It would have been," he growled, his teeth clenched. Then he smiled, the cold smile of a man with nothing to lose. "It's incredible," he said loudly, talking to everyone in the room. "All these years and no one ever suspected that the Fullmetal Alchemist is really a g-"

There was a loud bang and something whizzed past my left ear. A small hole appeared in Dylan's forehead and a trickle of blood ran down his face. Time seemed to freeze as his body crumbled to the floor. A scalpel slipped out of his unfeeling fingers and onto the floor.

I slowly turned around, frozen in shock; shocked at what he was about to say and the fact that he was now dead.

Hawkeye holstered her gun. "He was about to use that weapon," she said. "I had no choice."

I met her cool, unwavering gaze, and in that moment I knew that she knew. And I also knew that she would have shot even had there not been a weapon in Dylan's hand.

A firm hand touched my shoulder, and I looked up to see the colonel. "Come on, Ed. Let's go. They can deal with Kiara. Let's go find your brother."

Thanks for reading! Hopefully the next chapter will be the last! I can't believe I made it so far! Just a heads up though, after this storyline is complete, I'm going to still continue Edaline and Roy's story in numerous oneshot that will be published separately, but can be read as a direct continuation. Each oneshot will occur after this story, but I may jump a few weeks in between each story. If I ever have time and/or patience I might eventually write one that's longer than a one shot, but it won't be a whole book like this turned out to be :)

The story lines are going to be lighter and more fun too...possibly...or rather probably...naughty too...

So keep checking!

-Finally the author who got enough sleep last night.


	21. Chapter 21 - The End

I'M SORRRRRRRYYYYYY! ;( ;( ;( Time is my enemy. This is the longest I've gone so far without publishing, and I apologize for that.

AN: Al does not have the ability to transmute without a circle here.

I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or its characters.

I let the colonel lead me out of the motel, my wrists still bound by the strange metal cuffs.

"Brother!"

Al came barreling into me, knocking me to the ground, and the colonel smiled, walking away to talk to some officers.

I laughed, partially in relief. "Glad to see you're in one piece, Al."

"Any longer and I might not have been!"

Al punched me on the arm.

"Ow! I came, didn't I?"

"It took you long enough!"

I sighed. "I'm sorry, Al. That never should have happened to you. Are you hurt? Did that bastard do anything to you?"

"I'm fine, brother." Al reached up and winced as he felt the back of his head. "Just got a little bump when they knocked me out."

"Little bump?" I turned Al's head to the side. The back of his head was caked in dried blood. "That is _not_ a little bump!"

"In fine, brother! And I don't want to hear how this was all your fault," Al said, holding up a hand.

"But-"

"No."

I sighed again, this time in exasperation.

Al reached up and wiped at my cheek. "Your bleeding."

"That? That's just a scratch," I shrugged it off. "It's nothing compared to your head."

Al rolled his eyes.

"Sorry to interrupt."

I looked up as Lieutenant Hawkeye walked over.

"Lieutenant."

I swallowed, painfully aware of how much I owed her.

"I just thought I'd let you know that our people have identified what the strange metal that makes up your cuffs is."

"Oh! Great. It'll be a relief to get these off."

"Why?" the colonel asked as he walked back to us. "It's a rather good look on you."

All's jaw dropped open and I swore at the colonel.

"Edward," Lieutenant Hawkeye reprimanded, her face a stolid wall. "You really shouldn't use such language."

"What _is_ the metal made of?" Al asked, attempting to change the subject.

"The base component is steel, but the lab results said that there were traces of human flesh merged in to it."

"Human flesh?" Al repeated, looking faintly nauseous.

The lieutenant nodded.

"He really was crazy," Colonel Mustang muttered.

"Crazy, yes," I said. "But Dylan's parents were killed by a rare disease in Mexello. Many of the diseases there are contracted through contact with different radioactive metals. It's absorbed into the skin, causing untreatable and incurable illnesses. There may be some connection there."

"Maybe," the colonel mused.

"Let's just get these off you," Al said, drawing a transmutation circle on the floor.

I placed my wrists in the center, and Al activated it. The cuffs snapped apart, and I pulled my hands out.

"Thanks, Al," I said, rubbing the marks on my wrists.

"No prob-" Al began, but then he stopped, staring at something behind me. "What's going to happen to her?" he asked.

I turned to see two officers leading Kiara away, her hands cuffed the two men on either side of her.

"Same as any other criminal," the colonel replied. "She'll be tried and found guilty. Then she'll be locked up."

"Good riddance," I snorted. Let's go home, Al. I could really use some rest right about now."

"That's the best idea you've had in a really long time," Al grinned, wearily.

"I'll drive you," the colonel broke in. "I'm heading to the office anyway. They can wrap up around here without me."

"Damn," I groaned. "I'll need to write a report, won't I?"

"It comes with having an active roll in the military, Ed. You knew that when you barged in and demanded to be assigned to-and I quote-'anything that'll keep me busy'."

"Yeah, yeah."

We climbed in Mustang's car, me in the passenger seat, and Al sprawled out in the back. It didn't take more than a minute for him to fall into a deep sleep. The drugs must have still been in his system. Either that or he was just really tired after all he's been through.

Mustang drove in silence for the first few minutes, and then said, "We should write up our reports together. We need to make sure our stories match."

"What do you mean?"

"Well I'm not exactly going to write that our Scientist was targeting his old lover, the Fullmetal Alchemist. Of course, if you want everyone to think your gay then I'll have no problem with it, but seeing as I've already covered for you by saying you had no prior connection to Dylan, I think we should plan out a good lie. For all our sakes."

"I see your point," I grumbled. "I'll be at your office tomorrow at ten."

"Better make it nine. The major general will be expecting it as soon as possible."

I moaned, but didn't say anything else. I could see the colonel glancing at me through the corner of his eye.

"What?" I finally growled after a minute of silent looks.

"We still have to discuss the...the other thing."

I quickly glanced back at Al, but he was fast asleep. "Not now."

"When then?" the colonel persisted.

I closed my eyes. "Just not now."

"Edaline," the colonel said quietly.

"Don't." I swallowed. "You said you didn't want it to happen again."

"No," the colonel said as he pulled up near the dorms. "I said it _couldn't_ happen again."

"What's the difference?" I asked, fumbling to get my seatbelt off.

Before I realized what he was doing, the colonel had grabbed the back of my neck and pulled me towards him. As his lips touched mine, I felt a sharp longing deep in the pit of my stomach. Until now, it had been me forcing myself onto him, and part of me had worried that I'd been deluding myself into thinking he wanted me too. But now, his fingers dug into my hair, pulling me closer. His tongue felt like fireworks in my mouth. I wanted to lose myself in him.

And then I remembered Al in the backseat.

I leapt back so fast, I bit Mustang's lip in the process. He swore loudly, causing Al to sit up and yawn.

"Are we there already?" Al asked. "What happened to your lip, colonel?"

Mustang licked the blood off. "I bit it by mistake."

Al yawned again.

"Come on, Al," I said, climbing out of the car. "Let's get some sleep."

"Yeah. Sleep sounds good."

I refused to meet the colonel's gaze as I hastily said good night and led Al back to our room. Al was asleep the minute his head hit the pillow, but I had a lot on my mind. First of all, Al being taken because of something I did weighed heavily on me. That could never happen again. Second of all, there was that report to write. There was also the fact that Lieutenant Hawkeye knew I was a girl. She hadn't mentioned anything, but the look in her eyes said it all. I wondered for how long she'd know.

Lastly, the colonel. I didn't even know where to start with him.

Despite it all, I somehow managed to fall asleep.

_My fingers were intwined with the colonel's, our hands pressed into the pillow at my head. The colonel's lips scorched like fire on my neck, causing my back to arch in pleasure. I bit my lip to keep from moaning, but I could not help the cry that escape my lips._

_"Roy," I moaned._

_I could feel his lips curve into a smile against my burning skin. His teeth nipped at my neck playfully._

_"Say it again," he whispered, his free hand wandering up my leg and into dangerous territory._

_"Roy!" I gasped, my fingers tightening around his. "Roy!"_

"Brother?"

My arms flailed wildly as I attempted to untangle myself from my sheets.

"Brother?" Al asked again, hesitantly.  
>His face was as red as I'm sure mine was.<br>"What is it Al?" I said breathing heavily. "I just had a bad dream, is all."  
>"Um. It's just that..."<br>"What, Al?" I cleared my throat and was finally able to toss my covers off. "Spit it out already."  
>"You were calling out in your sleep."<br>Chills slithered up my back, and I tensed. I was afraid to ask, but I had to anyway.  
>"Wha-what was I saying?" I swallowed.<br>Al flushed darker. "Your were saying 'Roy'. Over and over again."

I opened my mouth to deny it, but stopped. Al just looked at me, waiting.

I sighed and rubbed my forehead. "What do you want me to say, Al?"

"I don't know," Al breathed. "Is there-is there something I should know about? Have you and the colonel...?"

My eyes widened. "NO! No, we have _not_!"

"But you want to." It wasn't a question. "I've seen the way the two of you have been acting lately, brother."

"I don't know what you're talking about." I looked away.

Al snorted. "Please. The tension between the two of you is thick enough to cut with a knife."

"Al, even if we both do...think that way...it could never work."

"Well, why the hell not!"

I didn't say anything.

"Ed. Edaline." Al walked over to my bed. "Your whole life has been about taking care of me and making sure everyone else was safe and happy. It's time to start thinking about yourself. Now that Dylan is locked away, there's nothing stopping you!" Al smiled. "Unless there's some other psycho after you that you haven't told me about..."

I grinned despite myself. "There's always some psycho after me, Al. It comes with the job." I took a deep breath. "I'm-" It killed me to say it out loud-"I'm scared, Al."

I couldn't explain it exactly, but I didn't have to. Al knew what I meant, even if I didn't.

"It's okay to be afraid, brother. But, Ed, you've never let fear hold you back before. Why start now?"

I slowly grinned. "You know what, Al? You're right!"

"I usually am," Al joked.

"I'm going over right now to tell that bastard exactly what I think of him!"

"Uh, you might want to leave out the 'bastard' part, brother."

I was dressed and on my way to the colonel's office within ten minutes, but the closer I got, the more doubts flickered into my mind. By the time I got to Mustang's office I was a wreck.

"You're here early, Edward." Lieutenant Hawkeye was the only one in.

"Oh, hey, Lieutanant. I'm supposed to meet the colonel to work in our reports for The Scientist case."

"Yes, but weren't you supposed to come in at nine? I've never known you to be early for a meeting with the colonel." She raised an eyebrow.

"There's just something I need to tell him."

"Of course. The colonel's in his office; you can go right in. And Edward?"

"Yeah?"

Lieutenant Hawkeye lowered her voice. "I've known the colonel a long time now, Ed, and I've never yet seen him look at any girl the way he looks at you."

Her words shocked me like a bolt of lightning up my spine, but before I could reply she walked away. That had not only confirmed my suspicions that the Lieutenant knew I was a girl, but-

Was what she said true?

I knew Mustang's reputation. I suppose that was one of the main things I was afraid of. That I was just another one of his conquests, and that once he got bored of me, he'd toss me away like all the others. Was I really different, or was I deluding myself?

There was only one way to find out.

I steeled myself and marched up to the colonel's office. I threw the door open without knocking and went in, letting the door slam shut behind me.

The colonel looked up from his papers, startled. "Fullmetal, I wasn't expecting you until later."

I stormed up to his desk and slammed my palms down on it. "I need to know just one thing," I demanded, leaning across the desk.

The colonel blinked.

"Am I just another one of your girls? Are you going to get tired of me and find someone else? Because if that's the ca-"

Before I could say another word, the colonel leapt to his feet and pulled me into a deep, passionate kiss. It couldn't have lasted more than a few seconds, but it felt as though time had stopped.

The colonel took a step back. "How could you ever think that, Ed? You are like no one I have ever met before."

It took me a minute to catch my breath. "Then I want to give this a try."

The colonel's mouth twisted up into a smile. "Does that mean you're going to come clean to everyone about being a girl?"

I cringed. "Hell no! I could be court-martialed for what I've done."

"The military would never give up an asset like you, Ed. Not after all you've done for them."

I shook my head. "Still. I'm not ready to give up who I am."

The colonel reached across the desk and took my hand. "That's okay. I'm willing to try this if you are, but that means no one can know about us."

I raised an eyebrow. "That shouldn't matter to you if you really aren't just looking to get into my pants."

The colonel smirked. "I never said I wasn't trying to get into your pants, Ed."

"Bastard," I grinned.

Suddenly the colonel's door burst open. I snatched my hand back just as Mustang leapt back, almost tripping over his chair in the process.

"Sorry to barge in, colonel," Havoc said, oblivious to our racing hearts. "But I thought you should know there's been an incident downtown. An explosion of some sort."

"I'll be right out," Mustang replied, trying to compose himself. "Just give us a minute."

"Hmm? Oh, sorry. Did I interrupt something?"

"No, no. Just wrapping up The Scientist case."

"Okay. I'm going to go on ahead. I'll leave the details with Lieutenant Hawkeye."

Havoc turned and left, shutting the door behind him.

For a minute neither of us said anything, and then the colonel said, "Well, this is going to be fun."

I grinned. "As you know, I'm pretty good at keeping a secret. As long as you behave yourself..."

"No promises," the colonel winked.

I headed for the door, but paused with my hand in the handle. "Oh, by the way, Al and Lieutenant Hawkeye already know about us."

"_What!_" the colonel yelled after me as I slipped through the door.

"Come on, colonel," I called back. "There's an explosion to investigate."

We. Have. Finally. Reached. The. END! Waaaaaaaaa! ;(

But fear not!

This is just the end of The Scientist story arc. Edaline and Roy's story has just begun and will continue in a series of one shots! Keep a look out for the next installment and thanks so much for reading! See ya!

-The happiest author in the world.


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